The Irony of it All
by mystixnight
Summary: Life isn't fair. It never has been, and it never will be and that is something Kairn Sairet knows all too well. But when things at Hogwarts take a turn for the worse he knows the complicated webs from his past are in dire need of untangling.
1. The Sorting

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: This is the first actual Harry Potter Fanfic I've decided to upload here. Any comments or constructive criticism would be very much appreciated by myself, thank you.  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 1 The Sorting Hat  
  
She cowered on instinct as the rain pelted down, though none other seemed to care in the least. With a grimace of distaste she drew her ebony robes closer around her. She didn't care if it was an incredible feat of magic to enchant a ceiling to reflect the heavens outside; the least these Hogwarts professors could do was turn it off or something when the weather was so miserable. They probably didn't mind though, it didn't look like anyone else here had to worry about steaming when it rained.  
  
Faellen paused her muttering for a moment though and took a moment to look around. It was so crowded in here. They had called this the Great Hall, hadn't they? Well if they expected to sit all of their pupils and they're great bloody tables in here with room to spare for the first years to await they're sorting, then they didn't exactly make this hall great enough, now did they? She rolled up the sleeve of her robe for a moment, a slender, though pale hand rising to smooth back her flaming hair. Usually that would imply the colouration, but at times it was a literal statement.  
  
She herself was one of the first years, crowded in the middle of everyone else. She could feel the eyes of all the others flickering over her and the others. It sent pinpricks down her spine. What prats! Didn't their mother's ever teach them that staring was impolite! She sent a glare in the way of a few whose eyes she could feel lingering on her as they surveyed the students. They quickly looked away, as she had expected.  
  
Professor McGonagall was reading out her instructions for the sorting process... Faellen shrugged, she knew what to do. Was it really that hard? Sit on a stool, put the hat on your head and let it send you to a table. Done! McGonagall was reading out names now... Faellen heard the name of an Abagone, Cecily first. Naturally she assumed it was in alphabetical order, then. She had awhile to wait. Might as well look around for a while then...  
  
She was fascinated by the floating candles, grazing them with her golden orbs. Her slitted pupils, much like that of a feline's, were narrowed in her glee at the sight of them. Her lithe fingers rose once more, beckoning one of the flaming, wax cylinders towards her. She smiled slowly as the flame wavered her way, almost longingly. Obviously, something more powerful than her meager magic skills held it fast though. She scowled, beckoning further. The candle shuddered in wanting, straining towards her... Someone was nudging her side... She could feel someone's eye's on her once more. She let the candle alone and turned, brows furrowed to meet the gaze of the person, meaning to give them a piece of her mind and found herself looking at McGonagall.  
  
"Honestly! Correl, Faellen! If you don't step up here right now, you can simply leave! How many times must we call you?" Her wrinkled face was twisted into a snarl of impatience, as one hand shot out to point at the stool. Faellen smiled meekly, skittering quickly up to the stool. "Sorry," she squeaked... She could hear a few titters from the tables, but McGonagall was in a foul mood now, and a few shooting glares from her silenced them quickly.  
  
Faellen plopped down on her stool, lifting up the sorting hat. She paused a split second 'fore placing it on her head, noting its tattered appearance. She sneered within herself. You'd think that with all this money and fame, Hogwarts would be able to afford something a little less raggedy than THIS.  
  
"So, first you're too ignorant to hear when you're being called and now you're too good for an age-old tradition such as myself, as you? Well, I can see what a sweet disposition you've got!" She almost tipped over on her seat as the gravely voice rang in her ears. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was just the sorting hat... "JUST the sorting hat? I'll have you know I am a vital organ of this school, plucked from the top of Godrick Gryffindors very own head!"  
  
Faellen bit her tongue to hold a snicker. To hear indignation from a hat was so absurd it was hilarious! Faellen returned the message mentally, careful not to speak aloud. "I've seen muggle movies, you know... They have hats there when they go into space that are shiny and metallic and sleek and stuff. When I thought of a magic hat, I thought of something like that... Not some dirt-encrusted, patched up thread of a thing... Erm, no offence..."  
  
"No offence indeed! You are by far the most insolent little thing I have ever come across... Oh, ho, ho... I know where to put you deary... It won't suit you, no, no, it won't indeed, but if this school has any luck you'll leech out some of the qualities you will find there" Faellen grew a mite nervous, she could feel, more than hear, an indignant snicker in its voice.  
  
"HUFF-" Faellen heard the beginnings of a house, and immediately her hair burst alight in flames, beginning to scorch the hat. "Don't you DARE!" She snarled at the smoking adornment perched on her head. She could hear a few of the teachers cry out in reprimand. Just as McGonagall reached out to hastily snatch the sorting hat off of her head, it let out a shrieking cry. "SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Immediately, her hair died down, falling smoothly down her back. She slid with a pleased air off of her perch to the floor, though a mite self- conscious. She removed the Sorting Hat from her head gently, though she fancied she might have felt it shivering. With tender care, almost apologetic in manner, she placed it in Professor McGonagall's outstretched hands, though she was stone still with what Faellen couldn't tell was rage or shock. Or maybe both. Then, moving silently through equally silent rows, she seated herself sedately at the Slytherin table. A few of the others moved further away from her, obviously not thrilled to be seated next to the person who had just singed the sorting hat. They prided themselves in being 'rebels', true, but not like that. And just as true a fact was that Faellen hadn't been trying! She had wanted so badly to fit in. This had been her supposed chance. Friends, fun, learning... That had been what she had dreamed about; hungrily counting down the days until she would arrive at Hogwarts and her life would start over. But like everything else in her life, it hadn't been what she expected... Her slender shoulders sagged at the thought of seven years at this school, the entire time just as wretched as what had taken place...  
  
"Yippee..." She murmured under her breath, as McGonagall regained her voice and called out the next name. "Weasley, Ronald"  
  
What a wonderful way to start the year...  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia wrung her hands, nervously, her black robe hanging heavily on her frame. She readjusted the folds on her shoulder, shaking slightly. She watched the flaming haired femme walk slowly to her table. She hadn't thought that being sorted would be so. so violent.  
  
She took a deep breath, and tried to distract herself by watching the others be sorted. A Gryffindor. A Hufflepuff. Another Gryffindor. A RavenClaw. A second Slytherin. What a show that one followed. The first Slytherin, she had thought was to be a Hufflepuff, or at least it had seemed like it until the flaming episode.  
  
Taseia crossed her arms in front of her, a mite warm now. She rolled back her sleeves, revealing her silvery-peach skin. She crossed her arms again after, allowing her cool skin to relieve her of some of the heat. Her azure gaze rose to the ceiling, 'fore they closed. She took a deep breath, letting her imagination tell her that the rain truly did fall from the heavens and it was washing over her now, calming her to the core. She found it a lulling comfort.  
  
She jumped as her name was called, and moved quickly up to the seat. She had seen McGonagall's temper and didn't fancy receiving the sharp end of it. Even in her haste she moved smoothly, a graceful figure among the jostling crowds. She took the hat with care from her Professor, placing it gently over her silver, almost blue tinted hair, and ever so subtly pointed ears. She thought she heard a sigh of relief in her mind.  
  
"Thank god. I need this cooling comfort. In all my years this is the first time I've ever been singed! Can you believe that.?"  
  
Taseia wasn't really sure how she was supposed to reply to that and decided that the best reply was none at all. She calmed as the Sorting Hat dutifully converted from idle talk to its purpose.  
  
"Brains in here! Brains galore! Well, I think, or in fact I know, that you can guess where that would put you. Calmness. Kindness, too. Hufflepuff? No, no. Yours is a different sense of it. Loyalty, my girly, there is loyalty here. Surely Godrick would think you a fine member for his house. And what do we have here.?" Taseia blinked at the sudden inquisitive, almost shaming tone in which the Hat murmured in her ears.  
  
"There is more to you than meets the eye, deary. And you were unaware, were you not? What a surprise in a thing such as yourself. Should I put you where a mind such as this could gain the power it has a right to? Where that little shred in your mind could grow?" Taseia could feel her lower lip tremble. He knew? What did he know? What was in her mind? She was growing erratically nervous. She heard a chuckle in her mind and the hat spoke again. "If you wish it so, m'girl. Have it your way. RAVENCLAW!"  
  
Taseia almost stumbled as she slid off the three-legged stool, handing the Sorting Hat dutifully back to professor McGonagall. With a deep breath, and a sense of relief etched in her mind she made her way carefully back down the few steps and sat down at a corner of the RavenClaw table. She could feel countless hands patting her on the back and shouting congratulations in her ear. But at the moment she was too sunken into a stupor of relief and a pit of worry to bother to reply with anything other than a smile of thanks. It had been an eventful day indeed. She wanted nothing more than to sleep, but the night was still young and there was still a feast ahead of her. With a sigh or acceptance, she sat up straight and instructed herself to watch as the next students were sorted.  
  
Her mind whirled, unable to concentrate on the stream of people that buzzed around the tables, while the milling herd of first years commanded the majority of attention. What had the sorting hat seen? Was race discrimination something this school suffered from, then? No. Unless they hadn't noticed already. Taseia slouched downwards, her pose looking awkward on such a refined creature as herself. If only the floor would open and swallow her whole. Anything to be away from the crowds. Anything for a mite of peace and quiet.  
  
Her ears rang with the shouts and cries of enthusiasm. Her long fingers were jabbed quite inelegantly into her ears to block out some of the noise. Her ocean blue occuls rose in time to catch a quizzical glance from one of the older RavenClaws, before he looked away out of embarrassment at having been caught staring. With a deep breath, Taseia straightened her back, returning to attention to the sorting process. Making a further spectacle of herself wasn't going to help any. If there was something 'wrong' with her, as the Sorting Hat had implied, there was no use elaborating it. Tomorrow then.  
  
She would wait. She always had to wait.  
  
* * *  
  
Kairn waited calmly. He had been prepared for this since he was a baby. Sure, there had been talk of the other schools he could attend. But in the end of every discussion it had always been Hogwarts. It was the most highly regarded school in the magic world. And Albus Dumbledore himself was the head master. There really wasn't any other option.  
  
He was lucky. He might not have been able to afford coming here. His mother had trouble supporting them on her own. She did a good day's work in Flourish and Blotts, every day of the year except for Christmas. There was always food on the table and clothing on their backs. But ever since his father had died, things hadn't been the same. But they had never talked about it. It wasn't a common topic for discussion. The death-eaters, that is.  
  
He shrugged non-chalantly, rolling beetle black occuli. There were pupils there, but it was an eerie gaze still, for you couldn't see them against the pitch iris. He was a solemn figure. It seemed everything about him was as dark as his mind-set. His hair, his robes, his eyes. He cut a striking figure. He watched with mild interest as student after student after student rose to the stool and the ritualistic procession continued as it had for countless years. Though, he mused with a smirk, he doubted the Sorting Hat had ever been burnt before. He pondered with a morbid sense of glee whether it could have been smoldered to a pile of cinders if it had been left to burn atop the head of the fiery femme, or if there was magic protecting it from such drastic harm.  
  
Brow rose in curiosity as the scrawny, bespectacled figure of Harry Potter was called up to the stool. It took awhile to sort him. The Sorting Hat depicted an expression, if fabric could make expressions, of indecision. But in the end it was Gryffindor that received the boy.  
  
Kairn felt his lips curl into a snarl as Harry sat down at his table, immediately accepted and cherished as a prize amongst them. With a grimace, Kairn composed himself; it was not his right to hate the child.  
  
It wasn't like it was directly HIS fault. He couldn't help it that he had survived when none before him had. It had been blind luck, and blind luck alone that had saved the lad. But the persecution that followed. That was what caused the misery for Kairn. That was what had bred the hatred, the resentment within him. The persecution had broken his family.  
  
He was forced to abandon his thoughts as his name was called. He walked forward, face emotionless. He received an odd stare from McGonagall and almost sneered, but stopped himself. What did she expect? Was he to skip up to the stool? He sat down sluggishly, placing the Hat haphazardly on his cranium.  
  
"Well aren't we a bit of a pessimist? What's eating you? Oh." Its tone rang with sudden understanding as it probed further into the depths of his mind. Kairn scowled, but said nothing.  
  
"Well, excuse me," the Hat scoffed. "I was unaware you were so touchy. Well, the choice is clear, not much of a choice for either of us, is there, m'boy? Even if you had wanted it another way; Slytherin it is. SLYTHERIN!" Its final word rang out clear over the hall. Mind as blank as his expression he rose, tossing the hat the short distance to McGonagall. Without a word he sat down amidst the clapping and gloating Slytherins, their claps on the back beating hollowly against him,  
  
Why did it matter so much, anyway? Did anything really matter this much? Yes, he thought; coming to the conclusion slowly.  
  
His father had mattered this much. 


	2. Liar

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: JOY! ^^ It seems Kairn is pretty popular with the lay-days! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge! I find that funny and joyous at the same time. Thank you for the reviews so far and hope to gather some more at the posting of this next chapter. I really appreciate any feedback I receive. Anyway, here's the next chapter: enjoy!  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 2 Liar  
  
Kairn leaned back in his seat, balancing precariously on the hind legs of the sturdy, wooden stool. He let his obsidian gaze rove carelessly around the room, noting random things. There was a window in the right hand corner that had a broken latch, for example. Only a meager three- percent of his classmates appeared to be paying any attention to Professor Binns, the only ghost teacher in the school, who was attempting to instruct them on the History of Magic.  
  
Kairn snorted through his nose, allowing himself to right the seat by letting it fall forward with a thud. School hadn't been as hard as he had thought it would be. Most of his classrooms were on main hallways, so it wasn't like he had to venture into the more complex sections of the school, unless of course he felt like freedom from the endless jabbering in the Slytherin common room.  
  
At the thought of his fellow Slytherins he let his mind continue on it's rambling path. The majority of them were all brawn, no brain. It was laughable to watch them in class. There were exceptions, though it seemed none did particularly astounding jobs. He had forgotten in the midst of being sorted that first day, but he had arrived as the Slytherin common room to find that the fiery tempered, as well as fiery haired girl who had almost set the Sorting Hat alight was a Slytherin too. They had never spoken, though. He wasn't a coward, by any means, but he wasn't as dead stupid as some of the others and he didn't fancy the idea of being burnt to a crisp during the first week of school. He let her keep her distance.  
  
His gaze shifted absent-mindedly to the same femme. She sat alone, as she had in every class so far. In the rows of seats, she was an island. A healthy distance surrounded her on all sides from the nearest student. He knew from listening to others converse that she wasn't very popular. First impressions make a large impact on children their age, as he knew, and no one had let her mishap with the Sorting Hat slip. As much as some of them might deny it, the sprightly little thing scared them. Scared them to the point they'd rather face the irritation of multiple teachers who would shoo them back to proper seating in close range to the girl only to find the students promptly scurry back to their original positions, than dare venture near the girl. There had been more than one detention so far due to this issue, needless to say.  
  
Kairn's dark brows furrowed slightly as he regarded the girl with curiosity. She was an interesting little thing. Short, he could tell, even though she wasn't standing. Her flaming red hair was cut so as to be boyishly short in the back whilst in the font it was left in long bangs to fall over her face on either side. Because of this it was hard to note the colouration of her eyes, but he gathered eventually that they were the same golden colour as when the candlelight reflected on the rusty gold of the chandeliers, and were home to slitted pupils. Interesting indeed.  
  
She was thin, not so much slender as just thin. Not thin enough to be gaunt or any such thing, but obviously not an over-eater, or so he thought. He snickered aloud (though Binns seemed not to notice) in amusement at the sight of her fingers. The tip of each digit was scorched almost black.  
  
Immediately a scowl alighted his features in return to her own as she caught his laugh. Her pupils narrowed 'til they were naught but a hair separating two sections of gold. Her lips curled in an almost frightening snarl, teeth bared in an animal fashion. Two pointed canines revealed themselves in such a manner.  
  
Upon realizing this, Kairn only looked harder, not exactly one to respect another's personal space. One more aspect of his indifferent nature. This only appeared to anger her further. He let out another chuckle as her hair began to waver and a corner of her robe collar came in contact with the flaming locks and proceeded to begin to smoke. One already singed hand rose to flatten down her hair in a sharp, agitated motion.  
  
Binns looked up slowly, seeing the girl's twitchy disposition. "Is something the matter, Miss Corel?"  
  
She looked up at him sharply, gaze flickering angrily to Kairn before she answered. "No, sir. Everything is just peachy" She spat out the words bitterly, sarcasm dripping off each syllable. A few of the students nearest to her scooted back another few inches. Apparently just as ghosts lose feeling, ghosts lose the ability to detect emotion in their students. Or maybe, Kairn thought as Binns continued on his dreary sermon in a monotone voice, this was just Binns in particular.  
  
He sent his gaze back to 'Miss Corel', to find that she was avoiding his eyes, focused overly much on her paper, quill tapping irritably against the table top as the last half hour of the lesson droned on.  
  
* * *  
  
Faellen was seething, almost writhing in her anger. She had never had the best temper to begin with, or at least the ability to hold it in check. Her blood boiled within her veins as she focused on her paper, the page a blur as her mind raced with thoughts of her aggravation.  
  
Mercifully, Professor Binns declared, with a look at the dust-caked hourglass upon his desk that the time had come for the dismissal of class. Freedom... An almost tangible wave of relief and re-awakening filtered through the students.  
  
Faellen rose without a word, back stiff, and chin up. Her pace was brisk, aching to leave. Aching to be free from the prying stares. If one had taken the care to notice they would have seen that her pupils had expanded to the point that they almost totally eclipsed the iris. Turning right. Turning left. Breaking apart a herd of Gryffindor third years as she forced her way through the crowds. All senses were focused on keeping her pace at a walk, on keeping a blank face.  
  
All senses shifted as she felt a hand dig into her shoulder, almost toppling her over backwards as the momentum of her swift pace kicked in. She whirled, face alight with anger, complexion paling in her mounting temper, as opposed to reddening. The wrath only grew as she found that her stalker had been none other than the insolent twit from class.  
  
He snickered in a knowing manner. "Where the hell are you going in such a hurry. Classes are over for the day, in case you hadn't noticed. Names Kairn, and you would be?"  
  
Faellen snarled, face twisting in animosity, which only pulled another twitch of the brow from her tormentor, the only new expression on his suddenly frigid disposition. "Who am I? Is this some kind of joke? I'm the one the burned the hat! I'm the one that everyone hates! I'm the one that'll singe the hair off your cat if she catches it! You scared too?" She was quaking with rage, spouting out a random rumor that followed her through the halls. She was sick of this! Was she some kind of sideshow? Was she here just to be harassed by cold-shouldered prats like this one?  
  
Kairn raised his brow once more, seemingly one of his only displays of emotion. "Touchy, aren't you?"  
  
Faellen hissed, which induced another spur of brow raisings from Kairn and another smirk that she couldn't help but interpret as mocking. Though distinctly shorter than Kairn she posed a suddenly intimidating figure. Her hair flamed high, flaring like an altered halo around her face, which radiated her animosity. "You. Have. NO. idea. Crawl back under the rock you came from, jackass." Her gaze locked on his, infuriated to find that it still gave off a sense of amusement.  
  
Robes billowed as she pivoted on her heels and continued on down the halls, flowing hem whipping around the next corner after her. Kairn watched with little to no expression on his dark features, but inside he was as close to true laughter he had had in a while. This one was interesting. More information was needed.  
  
"Spine-strum." Her words were almost inaudible, spat out to the statue before her, at which point it sidled obediently to the side, giving her full-leave to clamber through the thin doorway and shifting back into place afterwards, as Faellen entered the Slytherin common room. Some deity took pity 'pon the singular figure as it bolted up the split stairway to the dormitories, leaving an empty room to await her.  
  
It wasn't until her books were strewn on the floor and she had collapsed on the bed that Faellen let the tears come.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia walked at an easy pace, face still creased in a smile from the recent company of some new companions. It seems that finding friends here wasn't as big a problem as she had worried it might be. The hem of her robe barely grazed the cobblestone hallways, her stride smooth and even. Almost giving the illusion of gliding had it not been for the telltale signs of her legs imprinting upon the fabric each forward step. It was easiest for her to wear her hat, the traditional pointed version usually only required for formal occasions. She preferred it this way, though. It saved her from the questions that arose. Pointed ears weren't common occurrences it seemed. Diverse school indeed.  
  
Books cradled in one hand, she heard her name called, turning as she walked to wave in reply to the receding figure of Sienna Larson, a third year RavenClaw whom she had become quite close to already.  
  
She turned around just in time to see a glimpse of ebon' robes before she collided, papers littering the hallways. She looked up, brow furrowed in mild annoyance and lips etched in a smile of apology, to see that the other involved wasn't even looking at her.  
  
"Sorry. And don't worry, apology accepted." Her comments were laced with teasing sarcasm, though the grin upon her features indicated no harm was meant in the jest.  
  
"I see." Needless to say the reply wasn't exactly enthusiastic. Taseia rose to her feet, books piled now haphazardly in her arms. With a bit of rearranging she managed to put out an arm, too stubborn to accept such a reply. Not enough information for her hungry mind. "Taseia."  
  
"Kairn." Her hand was taken, long slender fingers grasping cool, callous hardened ones.  
  
Finally content with this level of interaction, Taseia drew back her hand, smiling openly now. She hadn't expected a return in the friendly gesture and wasn't surprised when she received no replying grin. The top half of her books were tipped towards him, sliding against his chest. He had little choice but to prop out his arms or risk a bruised foot.  
  
"Thanks for helping me carry my books as far as the library, Kairn." She grinned with a lightly mocking expression, though meant kindly enough, as she began to continue her walk.  
  
Invisible pupils rolled in matching irises as Kairn walked after her though tempted to dump her books in the hallway. "Only too glad to help." Sarcasm dripped off of his words, blatantly obvious and meant to be so. A laugh met his ears in reply as he shook the hair out of his eyes and sped up a mite, catching up with ease.  
  
* * *  
  
They parted on friendly terms at the library, or as close to friendly as one got when dealing with one so impassive and cold as Kairn. Taseia continued on to the right, whilst Kairn kept his pace straight. Gaze roved carelessly over the intricate stone carvings that twined over and around the vaulted ceiling. As he came to a familiar statue he off-handedly spouted his password. "Spine-strum." Once more the statue rose and stepped back into place once Kairn had made his way through.  
  
He leaned back in an easy chair, noting with satisfaction that the common room was empty. Wonderful. He reclined fully, propping his feet 'pon a polished coffee table, the dust streaking the mahogany in slight. One arm served as a rest behind his head whilst the other tossed his books carelessly into the recliner next to him.  
  
He didn't even know what had hit him.  
  
His books collided with his head and neck, cushions following, all accompanied closely by bursts of flame. "WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" The words were as fiery as the attacks. His arms rose to shield his face from the flames, a throw pillow (already singed) thrown full-force at Faellen's head in time to halt the next onslaught. It seems she had been the occupant of the same seat that he had chosen to place his books upon.  
  
"If you ask me, you have a serious problem with paranoia. I didn't even know you were there, twit!" Kairn sat up again, arms resting on his knees, shoulders slumped as always. His hand flickered up to the corner of his mouth, rubbing off a trickle of blood from one of the textbook attacks.  
  
Faellen sneered and thumped down into her own chair, arms crossed tightly. "Ya, well no one did ask you, did they?" Fingers rose irritably to smooth the still flaming locks into stationary states once more.  
  
Kairn rolled his eyes; she was so disagreeable. "Not everyone here cares so much about the whole head flaming issue. If you'd just lay low for a while everyone would just forget about it and you could go on unnoticed, you know."  
  
Faellen pouted, she knew it was childish but she couldn't help it. She hadn't thought about it that way. What if she did calm down? No more stares. That was good. But no attention whatsoever? That wasn't exactly what she had hoped for. Eventually she shot back a reply, though it sounded less self-defensive than earlier. "I don't need your opinion on the subject, alright, bloke?"  
  
Kairn nodded, replying sarcastically, leaning back into the folds of the armchair, still wary she would fly into another fit and bombard him with school supplies once more. "Kairn," he corrected. "And sure you don't. I can see how your plan is going smoothly already. Have fits, throw things at people, make your hair burn up and then expect to be let alone. Why didn't I think of that before.?" His hand rose to smack his forehead in mock revelation. "It just makes so much sense now that I think about it!"  
  
He flinched, hands twitching upwards for a moment as he saw a flaming strand of hair from behind the deep sides of the arm-chair, expecting another retaliation. But it disappeared quickly, and though he couldn't see her now, he considered himself safe for the moment.  
  
After a moment, dragged out slowly, she replied, voice calmer than he had heard thus far, accompanied by a cold chuckle, no mirth ringing within it. "You have no idea what you're talking about, you know that right? You have no idea." Her tone was dry and bitter, drifting around the side of the arm- chair to reach him.  
  
Kairn sneered from his place, hidden in the luxurious padding of his seat. What did she know? Did she think she was the only one with issues? His voice was as dry and gravelly as hers had been. "What if I told you that there are people here who do have an idea.?"  
  
Faellen rose slowly, making her way to the split staircase that led to the male and female dormitories. As she reached the branching point, she turned back, gaze steady, voice even. "I would call you a liar." And with that parting note she turned away, walking purposefully through the doorway and out of sight. Though it was only just past six in the evening and dinner was to be served soon, Kairn was quite sure that she wouldn't be coming out again tonight. With a rise and fall of his shoulders he rose upwards reluctantly from the comfort of the chair, collecting his books, now slightly tattered and not to mention burnt, from the ground and made his way up to the boys quarters. Last words muttered before the door closed behind him. "Liar, indeed." 


	3. A New Addition

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: FINALLY! I get to bring in my late addition. Yes, it was planned to join in a bit behind schedule. It's part of how the plot unfolds. SQUEEE! Read on, read on! I would say what it is here, but that'd be ruining it for you, now wouldn't it? Comments on what you think about this new {blank} would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 3 A New Addition  
  
"I'm sorry, child, but there is little we can do for you at the moment, with Head Master Dumbledore at a council meeting."  
  
Luvenia stopped dead in her tracks, cleaning rags dropping to the floor with a rustle of cloth and a dull thud of a brush. She skittered closer to the wall, hugging the cool stones in an effort to hide herself. Bulbous eye shut tight with a squeak. And then. Nothing. One eye opened a mite, peering curiously backwards. Yes, nothing. With a sigh of relief the minute house elf skittered back to her belongings, picking them up with care. She turned to go but paused as another voice replied to the first.  
  
"I would have come sooner, but it had started already by the time I was done."  
  
Luvenia, blinked. She had known the first voice; Professor McGongal. She visited the kitchens every so often to sneak a few snacks, though all the little elves knew very well that they should tell no one. They were devoted creatures, loyal to the core. The thought of revealing their employers' midnight cravings had never even passed through their minds. But this new voice was that of a student. Luvenia clucked silently in reprimand. Students should be in bed by now. The cleaning squad should never be seen, never be heard. If children were out running amuck how would they ever manage that? He sounded young. Second year? Maybe first. He had a light Scottish accent. That meant he had traveled a fair distance to attend. Maybe that was why he was up so late.  
  
"I know, child, I am aware of your conditions but for now you will simply have to find you a place to make your own. I believe that you could find a place in the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey could use bed curtains to separate the room. It seems very impersonal, I know, but in truth you will have much more privacy in the Hospital Wing than in a Common Room. Not to mention peace and quiet."  
  
Luvenia shrugged silently, tip-toeing a smidgen closer to the closed door, the candlelight seeping out with a faint glow to illuminate her tiny frame. It would be harder to get the Hospital Wing as clean with a student sleeping there, but they could manage. Her petit chest swelled with pride. Being a Hogwarts House Elf had definitely been the best employment she had had yet. She truly believed her squadron could handle anything that came along.  
  
"Aye, then I'll stay there."  
  
Luvenia squeaked again as the door swept open, nearly bowling her over. If she had looked back before running light-speed around the next corner she would have seen a very tired looking Professor McGonagall and an equally tired first-year make their way from the offices; a heavy trunk magicked into levitation behind them, so as to follow obediently. The boy blinked sluggishly, a hand raising to scratch behind his left ear, 'fore they turned into the spiral staircase that led to the Hospital Wing and were lost in the darkness there.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia yawned, arms raising above her head, every limb on her lithe body stretched to it's maximum. She blinked sleepily, mind still lethargic, brushing a strand of her hair out of her azure orbs. She sat up, disentangling herself from the sheet, the comforter pushed down to the end of her bed. It was October, now. The days were getting colder and colder, but whilst other students piled more blankets on, Taseia kept just her singular sheet. She relished the cold, the bite of icy wind. Besides, even if she had been against the idea of waking up chilled, she would have just suffered through it. How did some of them manage with all those layers? She shuddered at the thought. It was too stifling under there. She needed freedom of movement and space.  
  
With another yawn she swung her lengthy legs o'er the side of the four- poster bed, placing her feet with a smothered chirrup of delight on the frozen floor. She stood and walked to her trunk at the foot of the bed, sorting through the neatly organized piles until she found her winter robes.  
  
Her gaze flittered to the window, smile curving her lips at the sight of the sun's rays beginning to peek over the horizon, stretching it's tendrils of light over Hogwarts. Good, it was still early then.  
  
She removed her clothes, piling them neatly into the trunk, and slid just her winter robe over herself.  
  
With nary the sound of a footstep she slid through the door. Within seconds she had scampered wraith-like down the spiral stairs and after a careful glance round the common room to insure that it was empty, she was up the next set of winding stairs and out into the eerily silent halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
Her bare feet made not a sound upon the cobblestones as she made her way through corridor after corridor, slipping out of a large, oak doorway, intricately carved. They sure went all out building this place, she thought to herself whilst continuing on.  
  
At last she was outside. She breathed in the crisp autumnal air, relishing in the sting of it as it whipped down to her lungs. Filled to the core with the chill and loving every minute of it, sliver-tinted skin took on an additional glow of pink as the blood was stimulated in the cold.  
  
Her footsteps crackled on the frosted grass as she came to the sandy outer rim of the large lake that dwelled on Hogwarts ground. She squinted from the glare as she looked 'wards the sun. Still just barely risen. She had enough time, then.  
  
Not a word passed her lips as she let her robe fall away to the ground and she slid into the calm, icy water.  
  
Naught a ripple betrayed her descent into the lake. The only indication that she had ever been there was a crumpled winter robe, lying in wait upon the shores of the lake until it's wearer should emerge once more.  
  
* * *  
  
Seth woke up, blinking groggily. Maw stretched open wide, lips curling up as he did so. Sitting up his yawn ceased and he smacked his lips back together in a satisfied air. He flopped over onto his side again, burrowing into the sheets. It was the weekend. He should enjoy these extra moments while he could. Then it would be lessons. Lesson, after lesson, after lesson. He balked at the thought of it, but smothered the distaste by nestling into the blanket folds.  
  
Very comfortable. He could get used to sleeping in a place like this. He flopped in a most undignified manner onto the floor, where he sat, back against the bedside and dug into his trunk with one arm. He rummaged round 'till he felt cloth 'neath his fingers, and pulled out what he had felt. A scarf. Nope. He tossed it onto the bed and continued his efforts. This time he was rewarded with a clean shirt. He pulled it over his head and then rummaged around some more.  
  
And so it continued. By the time he was fully clothed his bed was littered with unneeded apparel. He pushed it all off the bed in the general direction of his trunk, though only a meager portion of the clothing actually landed in its destination. With a careless shrug, he stood and left the Hospital Wing. His stomach had alerted him he was due for breakfast.  
  
* * *  
  
The surface rippled, distorting the view of what lay beneath its surface. Slowly a head broke the mirroring waters, followed closely by shoulders, then a chest, then arms, and so on.  
  
Taseia quickly pulled her robe about her, not too interested in the idea of being found unclothed and soaking wet by the lake in the early morning. A quick glance about assured her of her privacy though, so the slender femme sat cross-legged on the shore, waist-length hair dripping down her back.  
  
She remained there for a long while, letting the sun's rays wash over her like the water itself and dry her slowly. It took a while, but she liked how the light felt when it played over her like that. It might have seemed uncomfortably warm had it not been for the lingering chill of the water and the cool winds that blew constantly. She was almost driven to sleep by the calm of it all.  
  
She shook herself from the soothing, almost meditative, sense of peace and rose; making her way regretfully back to the common room. Once inside the halls of Hogwarts she almost jogged. She wasn't wearing her hat, nor did she have any shoes.  
  
She made it back to the common room with no mishaps, sprinting down the winding staircase. Right into a crowd of RavenClaws.  
  
"Ack!" She let out a small yelp, almost tumbling over backwards, though she caught herself on the banister.  
  
Sienna Larson poked her head out from the crowd and grinned. "Taseia! I was wondering where you were. We couldn't find you when we woke up. You haven' gone and eaten without us have you?" Her expression changed from pleasant bewilderment to bordering hurt.  
  
"No!" Taseia shot forward quickly, a little too much emphasis on her words. She took a deep breath and spoke again, careful to sound both calm and jovial. "I mean. Nah, I just had to go to the bathroom. I forgot I wasn't at home anymore and wandered out into the hallways. I was almost at the Transfiguration Rooms before I remembered where I was!" She laughed, hoping to whatever god there was that it didn't sound as fake to them as it did to her, but was relieved when they laughed too.  
  
"Honestly," Sienna said through her laughter. "You're too much, Taseia!" She went to sling an arm around Taseia, but the other femme ducked out of it.  
  
"Uh. And, er, oh ya! I still haven't been to he bathroom so, um. I have to go now, okay?" She jogged a few paces to the stairs, when she heard Sienna laugh again and say, "S'okay. We'll wait here."  
  
Taseia whipped her head around, and waved a hand in a scoffing manner. "No, no. You guys go ahead! I'll meet you there, just save me a seat!"  
  
Sienna nodded. "If you're sure! See you there." Taseia flashed a grin and bounded up the stairs.  
  
Sienna turned to leave when she noticed that Taseia had left wet footprints on the stairs. She blinked, brow furrowed. Now that she thought about it, had she even been wearing shoes? Lips parted to call out a question to Taseia but it was never voiced as another RavenClaw second year pulled her up the stairs and out into the hallway.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia smoothed down her silvern hair with one hand whilst walking briskly through the halls, biting her lip as she noted the dampness of it. She pulled her hat down on her head, hoping it would make it less obvious, as she rounded a corner.  
  
Vision impaired for just a moment she collided head on with someone else.  
  
"Gah!" This time she did fall over backwards. She could hear a sort of grunt of surprise, as she sat up with one arm, The other reached out to grasp the wall to help her up. She found a hand instead. She almost fell forward this time, unprepared for the force in which she was hoisted upwards.  
  
She felt the figure in front of her stumble back a few steps as well.  
  
"You're lighter than I expected." The words were muttered, tone blank.  
  
Taseia laughed, pulling her hat above her eyes to find herself looking at Kairn. "I knew it was you. We seem to be developing a nasty habit of bumping into each other. Literally, that is."  
  
Kairn neither laughed nor smiled, but he met he looked her in the face when he spoke now, instead of looking away in a both disinterested and anti- social manner. "So it does. Where are you off too.?"  
  
Taseia tossed her hair over her shoulder. "To the great hall. For Breakfast." She added this last at the blank expression on Kairn's pallet, but as it changed not in the slightest, she decided that it wasn't misunderstanding. It was just Kairn...  
  
"Want to come?" She inquired. Not only for politeness' sake, but also because she found him interesting. It was always in her best wishes to broaden her circle of companions. Kairn opened his mouth to reply, but the words halted even before they breached his maw. He was now looking past Taseia with a smirk that she couldn't tag an emotion to.  
  
"What is it?" She blinked looking over her shoulder at the crowds of people that were now jostling into the Great Hall.  
  
"Fresh meat. Come join the feeding frenzy if you like." With that he swerved past her. Taseia managed a lock her fingers around the back of his sweater to avoid losing sight of him as he shouldered his way through the other students. "What? Fresh meat? I'm not following, Kairn. Fill me in, here!"  
  
She collided with him for the second time in the last half-hour as he lurched to a sudden halt in front of one of the tables. Taseia let go of his sweater, flexing her fingers to relieve the smarting pain that had insued when one of them was crushed between them.  
  
She scowled slightly, looking around her. Above her the tapestries hanging from the ceiling depicted serpentine pictures of green and silver. "Why are we at the Slyth-" She halted her words quickly as she walked astride him and looked at his face. The smirk had deepened and his brow was raised to a height she hadn't thought physically possible. "Mind if I join you?" His tone dripped with sarcastic amusement. Amusement? She hadn't though emotions were in his range of capabilities. His gaze was locked on another.  
  
She turned to find it returned by a snarl of animosity and aggravation from another. A petit girl with flaming hair. Literally flaming hair. She had no questions as to who this might be.  
  
"Nice to meet you Faellen." The golden gaze locked on her on azure orbs first, then the outstretched hand that awaited her. Taseia smiled almost nervously at the still emanated face upon which she looked and silently hoped she hadn't gotten in way over her head.  
  
* * *  
  
Seth made his way into the Common Room slowly, feet dragging, not out of anxiety of sleepiness. Just laziness and an inability to see why not. As he reached the grand oak doors though, he cringed. So many people. And not a single face he knew. He took a look around, hand flickering up in a re- occurring habit to itch behind his ear.  
  
He didn't have a house yet, so it wasn't like he had a designated table to sit at. So he could sit at any of them, he figured. But as he passed table after table, each one filled to the brim with students who only regarded him with unfamiliarity and he was therefore unwelcome at, he began to wonder if it meant he could sit at none of them.  
  
He stopped completely, looking back and forth, unsure as to where to go. A low sound, almost a whining growl built in his vocals as his head swung to and fro. Dark chocolate occuls caught a pair of golden ones, seated on the opposite side of the room. He thought, or maybe just hoped, he saw a ghost of a smile cross the lips that went along with them, and with a replying grin he jogged towards the eyes.  
  
He reached them to see that their owner, a sprightly little femme, was seated beside another. He grinned wider at how opposite they appeared. One was blazing, one was serene, and both were intriguing. And across from them was a lad, darkly clad and lithely built.  
  
Hand rose again to scratch that designated area behind his ear, though no itch even resided there as he spoke, voice thick with his lilting accent. "'Lo. Name's Seth. Pleasure t'meet you."  
  
He received three replies, all of the same words as he had used, "Pleasure to meet you," though one was distinctly less 'spirited', you might say. And I should think you know exactly which child voiced that reply. 


	4. You're Not Who I Thought You Were

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, Seth and now Sienna as well in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Wow, I never thought when I started this that I would be getting this much support from everyone. You guys are the ones keeping me going, you know that right? I'm writing like a machine and loving every minute of it! Thank you for all your support, and I'm glad you liked Seth! This is a more Taseia oriented chapter cause she has to get through some crud before the story picks up, okay?  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 4 You're Not Who I Thought You Were  
  
Taseia pushed the scrambled eggs in circles around her plate, full to the brim from another abundant Hogwarts breakfast... Seth had yet to drop that jovial grin on his maw, which wasn't a bad thing... She liked him. He had a pleasant, easy-going and more than a little mischievous manner. But it was all meant in the best of ways, she found.  
  
Kairn kept making jibes at Faellen, all in that indifferent manner that only made it even more aggravating. Faellens hair had blazed thrice already, smoked five times and she had snarled twice. Kairn had noted with a mild bit of pleasure though, that he had found a balance between drawing out the anger and having textbooks chucked unceremoniously at his head.  
  
Taseia found herself stuck in the position of mediator. She had to keep Faellen from losing it by taking her side in the arguments but do so subtly so as not to throw Kairn off and make him feel as though he might as well leave. Seth helped in this... He could side with Kairn with a little less rational planning to back his theories, therefore letting Faellen keep a slight lead. Taseia giggled. Yes, Seth wasn't the brightest light on the street, but what he lost in brains he made up for with an incredibly magnetic disposition and quick tongue.  
  
"Good god... I know you're used to being on your own due to sociability problems, but must you cram that food in your face all at once?" Kairn's face twisted in a rare expression, this one displaying revulsion.  
  
Seth and Faellen's heads both snapped up at the same time. Seth had been eating almost without utensils, face inches from his plate. As he paused a string of meat dangled precariously from his brimming mouth, which he snapped up quickly with a toss of his head.  
  
Kairn had once thought Faellen as a light eater due to her thin frame. He had been wrong it seemed. The femme ate daintily, sawing small pieces off of the whole and placing them in her mouth with proper utensils. But this all took place in seconds, and she appeared to forget how to swallow. And so it built up and built up and built up... Not a pleasant sight, to put it neatly.  
  
Seth looked over at Faellen who returned his quizzical glance with a shrug, and then back to Kairn, gesturing with a shake of his head. "'Er or 'e?" He mumbled through a mouthful of food...  
  
Kairn shook his head in disgust and pushed himself away from the table... "Both..."  
  
Taseia nearly fell off the bench laughing, hands clasped to her stomach, eyes welling with tears of mirth as she gasped for breath through the bursts. Through the haze of watering vision her eyes met a glance from the RavenClaw table.  
  
Sienna's face displayed both hurt and anger... Taseia choked on her giggles and stumbled off the bench; mouthing an 'I'll be right back', to her friends.  
  
As she drew forward Taseia noted the table was empty for all but Sienna sitting in the middle of it.  
  
Her lips parted to express an apology, but Sienna spoke first. "I saved you a seat... But I guess you found a better one, huh?" Her words stung with bruised emotions, but a hint of anger as well.  
  
Taseia shook her head, meaningfully, reaching out to her friend who backed out of her grasp. "I'm so sorry, Sienna... I bumped into a friend and my mind blanked. I'm really sorry about that... How long have you been waiting?"  
  
"What does it matter? I can see you were having fun over there, sorry I ruined the party... I'll see you back at the common room, unless of course you find another house you like better." Brows furrowed and lower lip jutting the second year pushed herself back from the table and jogged out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Sienna! Come on, Si!" Taseia's calls fell on deaf ears, as her friend was lost from view.  
  
With a sigh of bitter regret and self-annoyance she slumped onto the bench, head in her hands. How did she forget? She had specifically asked Sienna to save her a seat, too... "Idiot!" She muttered to herself.  
  
"You a'right?" A gruff, rather awkward voice questioned. Taseia smiled half- heartedly.  
  
"Not exactly, Seth, but thanks for asking..." She didn't look over as he sat down 'side her.  
  
"I dun' mind... What's the matt'r?" Brow moved in expression of concern 'hind the shaggy, unruly mass of hair that fell over his eyes.  
  
"Nothing, Seth... Nothing," Taseia said, trying to keep her shoulders from sagging. "Just a few misunderstandings, that's all..."  
  
"Oh, ok, then..." He muttered, avoiding her gaze. She smiled slightly. What an odd one... She noted his hand as it rose for the umpteenth time to scratch 'hind his ear.  
  
"Why do you do that?" Her head tilted to the side, azure orbs reflecting her question.  
  
He blinked, rubbing the side of his head. "Do what?"  
  
Taseia laughed lightly. "That! Scratch behind your ear like that!"  
  
He blinked again, jaw pushed to the side to give a quizzical, though eager expression as he dropped his hand and looked at it, 'fore avoiding her gaze again, looking up at the gold and royal blue hangings of RavenClaw above them... "Erm. Dunno."  
  
Taseia's gaze was caught by a sudden flaming from the Slytherin table. She grinned again, shaking her head in half amusement and half reprimand. She got up from her seat, hooking her arm in Seth's elbow and pulling him up with her. Her other hand pointed to the Slytherin table, where Kairn had a plate held up in front of him as protection from the various eating utensils that were being chucked in his direction. "I think our mediation kills are needed back there..." She flashed a grin to her new friend, while still lamenting the current situation with an old one, and made her way back to the other table, leading Seth along behind her.  
  
* * *  
  
The night was a restless one for all four of the children.  
  
Taseia's pillow was tear stained after a particularly nasty encounter with Sienna after she had returned to the common room that night, which had ended in tears for both involved.  
  
Faellen burnt her pillow thrice, still steaming from her encounter with Kairn earlier that evening when the group had headed out for a walk around the grounds. He had a sharp tongue that one.  
  
Seth was mentally pre-occupied with rather personal thoughts, tangled up in the sheets, head burrowed under his pillow and one arm dangling over the side of the bed.  
  
And then there was Kairn who probably slept the worst of all. He shared a trait with Taseia that night, for thought none would have noticed it, as he stared up at the ceiling, flat on his back, that tears spilled silently down his face. Mouth was set in a firm grimace, chest rising and falling in smooth breathing, face impassive for all but the ever-flowing tears.  
  
His chest burnt with the repression of the sorrow, lungs stabbing their protests at him for halting the sobs. Sobs for what? Or, more appropriately, for who? Who else...?  
  
He chuckled dryly, throat hoarse. For what reason did the tears ever sting his eyes? His father.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia woke late the next morning, rolling over on her back. Her gaze flickered out to the rolling hills beyond the windowpanes. The sun was already high in the clouded sky. A swim was out of the question then. She sat up groggily, focus falling listlessly over random aspects of the dormitory. It was empty but for one or two other students, taking advantage of the weekends late mornings.  
  
She dropped her feet onto the floor and dressed in silence, emerging into the common room. She cringed inwardly at the sight of Sienna and a few others chatting pleasantly on the many couches that encircled the fireplace.  
  
She moved silently, hoping she could pass out into the hallways unnoticed and be spared further hurt.  
  
"Taseia!" She stopped, and with a sedated sigh turned around, knowing already who had called her and waiting for the beration to follow. She spun around in time to find herself, instead wrapped in a friendly embrace from Sienna.  
  
"We've been waiting for you to wake up! You sleep like a rock, you know that? I couldn't have woken you up for love or money... Come on. We're starved. Ready for some breakfast?" She grinned jovially, shortly cropped brown hair tucked neatly behind her ears.  
  
Taseia blinked, caught off guard by this warm welcome. "What? I thought you were... Weren't we...?" She blinked again as Sienna gaze her a questioning glance.  
  
Taseia melted into a sense of relief, returning the grin. Sienna had chosen to forget about it. Why argue with a good thing? She nodded. "Ya, I feel like I haven't eaten in ages."  
  
Walking companionably astride Sienna they made they're way among the group to the Great Hall.  
  
* * *  
  
Faellen caught a glimpse of a pointed hat and silver hair and waved over Seth and Kairn. "Found her!"  
  
With a grin she loped over to her friend, smiling politely to the brow haired femme she was walking with. "We thought you'd gotten locked in the toilets or something! Didn't think you were the kind to wake up late..." She laughed. Kairn and Seth had caught up to them by now. Kairn had simply looked at Taseia's companions with vague acknowledgement, whilst Seth had grinned and given a slight tip of his dial.  
  
Taseia turned to Faellen with a grin, laughing aloud. She opened her mouth to reply but all that came out was a startled mumble as Sienna pulled her to the RavenClaw table with a renewed burst of speed. "Ooh! Look! We have flapjacks this morning! And fresh maple syrup! The kitchen staff have outdone themselves again!" Her jaden eyes didn't even spare a glance in the way of Faellen, Seth and Kairn.  
  
Taseia regained her breath as she was forcefully plopped down on the bench and had multiple strawberry's piled on her plate by an eager Sienna. "What's the rush, you never even got to meet them?" She queried. She searched the crowds in time to spot the receding figure of Kairn, scowl imprinted on his features as he followed the other two out the doors.  
  
Sienna had a look of both disbelief and condescending pity on her face. "Come ON, Taseia...? Do you really want to be seen with people like 'them'? Really, Tai, you've already got us," she said while gesturing at the crowd of RavenClaws around them. "Who needs them... Besides, even if you did want to make some new friends, which is totally all right, does it have to be them? I mean look at them! That girl is an absolute freak! She burnt the Sorting Hat for crying out loud! She's a mess! I heard the reason she's so screwed up is because her parents thought she was such an absurdity that they shipped her off to some boarding school... I don't blame them."  
  
Taseia looked at her 'friend' with disbelief. Was this really Sienna saying this? Petit, dainty little Sienna? Her jaw had dropped in shock and a portion of disgust as well. Sienna appeared not to notice, scooping syrup onto her pancakes as she continued on with her jabbering, incredulous to Taseia's expression.  
  
"And then there's that Kuro, Kino-"  
  
"Kairn," Taseia corrected automatically.  
  
"Ya, that's right. That Kairn guy. What's his problem. I swear, he is the most messed up kid I have ever seen! He must be such an idiot! He looks so dull, I don't think a single intelligent thought has ever been inside that head. Rumor has it that his family got mixed up with You-Know-Who somehow and his dad got blown to pieces or something of the like. Ya, ya, so your dad's a pile of ashes, don't know how to crack a smile?" Sienna sneered and giggled as though she had said something incredibly funny or witty, piling a fork load of food into her mouth and cleaning herself with a napkin before continuing.  
  
Taseia's jaw had dropped even further and her lips were curled in disgust, but once again Sienna continued on completely oblivious...  
  
"And let's not forget that Seth kid! What a mess! Can you believe his hair? It's everywhere! Have you ever heard of a comb? And I heard he came late so he doesn't even HAVE a house, he just sleeps in the Hospital Wing! What a lark! I can just see him up there, getting tucked in by Pomfrey at night! What a riot!" She burst out into another round of giggles.  
  
Taseia fought the urge to wretch as she watched Sienna, once her closest of friends at Hogwarts slowly turn into the most mentally sick person she had ever come in contact with.  
  
"And what's with the ear scratching? I bet you he has fleas or lice or something and that's why he sleeps in the Hospital Wing, because they're afraid he'll spread it to the other students. Nasty!"  
  
Taseia was hardly hearing her anymore, shocked into a state of immobility. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.  
  
Sienna continued on her malicious tirade. "Now I know you're not too much of a prize yourself, Tai, I mean the silver hair was fun at first, but when it starts to grow out, let it. Dying your hair such passe colours is fun at first, but it wears off, honey..."  
  
"My hair's not dyed..." Taseia murmured thickly.  
  
Sienna rolled her eyes and contineud eating. "Sure it is, Tai..." She muttered as though just to shut Taseia up, The verbal abuse began again...  
  
"And the hat? What ARE you trying to say with that? Is it some sort of a fashion statement? Once again, fun at first, but it just gets tired."  
  
Taseia snapped slowly out of her disgusted reverie, standing up with such force she almost tipped the bench. Sienna seemed to notice her former friend for the first time since she had started her ranting. "What is your problem Taseia? Where do you think you're going?"  
  
Taseia's face crinkled in revulsion. "Anywhere away from you."  
  
She clambered over the bench and started for the grand oak doorway. But stopped as Sienna called over to her. "You're not going back to those freaks, are you? Who do you think you are? Without me you're just as much of an outcast as they are! I won't take you back you know!"  
  
Taseia gagged and kept walking not bothering to reply. A last snarling shout was directed to her from the RavenClaw table. "If you're going to walk away from me, you're not who I thought you were, Taseia!"  
  
Taseia turned slowly, gaze bitter, already smarting with tears. "And ever since that whole in your face started spewing those sick, twisted thoughts, I knew that you would NEVER be the person I thought you were again..."  
  
Still fighting the tears that threatened to spill Taseia ran full-speed from the Great Hall, breathing ragged and eyes burning, before she fell to her knees as the lake's edge outside and let the tears come. Just as the rain broke through the clouds and fell to the earth in reflection of her misery... 


	5. Just Curious

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, Seth, Sienna and yet another addition: Professor Mirillen in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Yet another person thrown in, heh. She won't be a MAIN main character, or anything but she's vital to the plot. No, really... I know that I have a habit of throwing in random char's (i.e.: Luvenia) just to gain perspective sometimes, but I've tried to cut down on that in this fanfic. I think it's working but I'm not all too sure. A few of you were asking for Kairn, and you'll get your fair share of him in this chapter ;). And romance? Someone, not mentioning names *cough*silv*cough* was wondering about it, and I just thought I'd let you know that it won't be anything serious in this book seeing as they're just first years but in the next few ones it might build up. You'll be seeing hints of it here and there in this story segment though. Oh, and think hard. Because you might be getting unsure ideas from this chapter concerning romance. Try to sort it out, heh. Enjoy!  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 5 Just Curious  
  
Seth snuffled around the blankets with his face. Even he had no idea how he ended up with his head at the end of the bed and a foot resting on the window sill, but that was where he was when he was awoken by the soft sound of someone laughing.  
  
"Wha'?" he sputtered groggily, blinking the hair out of his eyes and whipping his head up, trying to see through the haze of sleep still misting his eyes.  
  
"You look hilarious, Seth!" Taseia held a hand up to her mouth, trying to quiet the laughter.  
  
Seth was so mystified and tired he forgot that he still supposed to be mad at Taseia for the earlier events at breakfast when she had brushed him off, along with Faellen and Kairn. "Aren't you supposed t'be in bed?" He mumbled, sitting up slowly and untangling himself from the comforter.  
  
He cringed as Taseia's face grew a mite colder with hurt. "I don't want to sleep there tonight..." She murmured softly, pillow held to her chest as she sat down beside him. By 'there' she obviously meant the RavenClaw dormitories.  
  
Seth swiveled around to look at her, brows lowered in concern and a mild bit of reprimand. "Are y'gonna tell meh what the matt'r is or not, Taseia?"  
  
Taseia took a deep breath; meeting and holding the chocolate gaze, before her tears started up again. Before she knew it, she was sobbing out the whole wretched ordeal, from meeting up with Kairn outside the Great Hall to where she sat now, her tears staining the linen bedspread.  
  
Seth sighed, placing an awkward arm over her shoulders, not sure what to do. He patted her back on instinct, feeling uncomfortable but not wanting to add to her worries. "Ack... Black tale, that is... So what were you planning on doing now?" He lowered his head a mite, trying to see her expression in the darkness.  
  
Her slender shoulders rose and fell in a listless shrug. "I'm sorry... I don't know what I was thinking when I came here. I don't think I was thinking! It's just that Kairn and Faellen are in their house and I wouldn't know the password in, even if I could find the entrance. I didn't know who else to come to, and I didn't like the thought of wandering around Hogwarts alone in the middle of the night... I'll understand if you want me to leave, Seth. It was stupid of me to have come here anyways... And we have lessons starting again tomorrow and everything!" She rose quickly, shaking her head. "I-I'm sorry... I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, I guess- "  
  
"Wait, wait, wait! I never said you 'ad t'leave, now did I? We're in the Hospital Wing! Pull up a bunk!" Seth grinned as jovially as possible considering the circumstances, trying to ease the almost tangible sense of depression that hung above their heads.  
  
Taseia perked visibly, or would have if anything WAS visible in the haze of a moonless night. Her lips parted in a grin. "You wouldn't mind then? Mean it?"  
  
Seth waved a hand in scoffing dismissal. "'O course not! What kind of a friend would I be if I turned you 'way?"  
  
"One like Sienna," Taseia replied, though she didn't seem half so forlorn at the mention of the name, trying to move a cot closer to her friend's resting place. She cursed as it squeaked upon the cobblestone flooring, then literally smacked herself in the forehead, azure orbs rolling in the face of an obvious revelation. "Am I a witch or aren't I one?" She drew her wand from her robes, for she was still fully dressed, not yet having been back to her common room. "Wingardium, Leviosa!" The bed lifted easily into the air, and with gentle pushed from her hands she managed to bring it over aside Seth's own.  
  
She plopped down upon it with a satisfied aura. Seth chuckled. "Feeling better, are we?"  
  
She returned the light laugh. "How could you tell?" She lowered herself under the covers, promptly pushing back the upper layers. She tossed the pillow she had been clinging to onto the hospital cot from which it had been abducted, now supplied with another one. Her wand found a safe haven atop the bedside table 'twixt the two beds.  
  
Seth grinned, flopping back onto his own bed, rummaging through the web of covers and sheets till he found his pillow and placing it 'neath his head. "Jus' a hunch." He replied in jovial sarcasm.  
  
Taseia chuckled gently, curling up slowly. "Thanks again, Seth..." Her voice was soft, on the verge of sleep but ringing with true gratitude and weight.  
  
Seth's maw opened to reply that it was his pleasure, but he closed it knowingly, alerted by the barely audible sounds of hushed breathing that his companion had already fallen asleep...  
  
He didn't know how long he lay awake that night, eyes focused on the silhouette of the femme as she lay still and serene across from him, hair splayed in all directions across her pillow. But he thought he saw a glow of light on the horizon before sleep took hold of him once more...  
  
"G'night, Taseia..."  
  
* * *  
  
She was up before the sun had completed its rise into the heavens, a fleeting smile of thanks and warmth cast to her sleeping companion. With nary a sound she slipped through the hallways, a flickering ghost of a figure. Books and supplies were collected hastily from her dormitory and her trunk carefully locked. The remainder of the morning was spent in the library, head on her arms, awaiting the start of a new day...  
  
* * *  
  
"Up, Mr. Flaherty... We have a few things to sort before you can go about your first day. I should have had them handled yesterday, mind you, but time was not permitting. So we must take care of them as of now"  
  
Seth groaned remorsefully as McGonagall's voice snapped him out of the astral realm and into the physical.  
  
"Five more minutes... Jus' five more..." He mumbled through his pillow.  
  
"Absolutely not! You're going to wake up and you're going to wake up now. I'll leave you so you can dress. I expect to see you out that door," Her index finger gestured sharply to the entrance way, "in no more than five minutes."  
  
Muttering in a disgruntled fashion he clambered out of bed saving himself from falling flat onto the floor by leaning onto the bed aside his. He blinked, the former night's events resurfacing. He looked around sharply, as though expecting to see Taseia still there somewhere, but he knew already she would have left... She was a bright one, unlike others. Himself in particular.  
  
He snapped out of his reverie at a sharp tapping on the door. "I don't hear any movement in there!" McGonagall's voice was sharp as always. Seth hurriedly dug around in his trunk of belongings, hopping out the door a few minutes later on one foot, the other in the process of being crammed into a shoe.  
  
McGonagall looked overly him in scrutiny but nodded her acceptance of his state of dress. "And your school-books are.?" A pencil thin brow twitched upwards.  
  
With a jump Seth sprinted back to his room, hoisting his book bag from the jumble and tearing back out into the hall. "Got 'em right here!"  
  
McGonagall nodded and started off down the hall. "Since you aren't as of yet situated in a house, you shall be attending your classes as a member of a certain house. Each class you will be in a different house, understood? As you know, our timetables are split up into two-day sections. Today you will be attending Herbology first along with the Gryffindors. I assume you can find your way to the greenhouse with relative ease... Afterwards you are to join the RavenClaws for Charms Class... Thirdly is Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs, taught by none other than myself..."  
  
And so they continued on down the hallway, Seth hurriedly trying to scribble down when and where he was expected today, along with whom he would be working with...  
  
* * *  
  
The classroom was void of an instructor. Faellen and Kairn were seated side- by-side. They could border on being companionable when the mood struck them mutually. One of the regular intervals for such was during classes, when partnering was needed especially. And though both would deny it if posed the question, neither was fond of having not a single soul to discuss with during these highly social periods of time.  
  
Back to the situation at hand, though. They were in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Their regular professor, a fellow by the name of Carniggan, had yet to make an appearance and the lesson was supposed to be twenty minutes underway already.  
  
Faellen sent a questioning look to Kairn, minute shoulders rising and falling, 'fore her slitted gaze returned to the doorway, which remained empty. "Where do you think he is?"  
  
The archway was suddenly home to a figure. Heels clicking firmly on the stone of the floor, the tall, imposingly beautiful femme made her way sedately into the classroom, pausing in the center of the room, turning slowly to look at those who surrounded her.  
  
Kairn knew somewhere in the back of his mind his jaw dropped, and he could see from his peripheral vision the multitude of males in the classroom whose expressions mirrored the same. Faellen's gaze was equally awed, though in a much different way than his own.  
  
The woman in the middle of them all might have been just graduated, for her bod' glowed with youthful exuberance. Her dark auburn hair fell over her right eye, whilst the other was revealed, beneath a thin, arched brow, to be impossibly deep violet. Her lips curved upwards in almost an innocent snicker, shifting weight from one foot to the other. "As soon as you fellows roll your tongues back into your jaws we can begin..."  
  
Cough after nervous cough, shuffling filling the room like thunder, the boys shifted uncomfortably. The playful, though stern air in which she set them aright unnerved even Kairn.  
  
A lad, voice stuttering and husky called out to her. "Where's Carny- I mean Professor Carniggan?"  
  
The woman's gaze snapped sharply to meet the questioner's. Her tone was icy cool, almost challenging. "He's unavailable and henceforth I am to be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... Unless of course there is a problem with such, in which case I shall bid you adieu and go tell Dumbledore that my services don't appear satisfactory."  
  
The child shook his head, shrinking back against the hard wooden benches. "N-no, no. No pr-problem..."  
  
Immediately the woman's face curved into a bright smile, at which point a few jaws fell earthwards once more, though quickly shut. Kairn shivered, partly of discomfort and partly from the attraction there that was tangible between every single one of the bloke's that were able to see the lady. A fell grumbles and hissing whispers circulated through the girls in the chamber, but none had the courage to do anything more. He disregarded them, though, focused on the newest arrival. She was a knife; glinting, luminescent in the reflections it cast. So beautiful, but just as dangerous... Or so his mind told him. And he had come to trust that nagging voice in the back of his head, however resentfully.  
  
"Now, then... Shall we begin? You shall be addressing me as Professor Mirillen. I don't know exactly how far you made it into your textbooks with 'Carny' as one of you has so fondly dubbed him," her voice dripped with a dry sarcasm, though the smile still played over her lips. A few nervous laughs were released from the student body but she continued on. "But it doesn't matter. You won't have much use for them while I'm here teaching with you. We're going to be doing mostly hands on work. Letters have already been sent home to your parents. Their permission is now needed in order for you to take this course. If they do not wish to have you participate you shall continue your studies here in the classroom from the textbooks on your own, taught by a seventh-year tutor. The rest of you will be wandering with me, through the school and grounds mostly but we will be making a few escapades into the Dark Forest... If you think you can handle such work." Her face was lit with an almost mocking smirk at which a few of the lads puffed out their chests in pride, the need to prove themselves subconsciously their main desire of the moment.  
  
The rest of the period was spent reviewing mandatory standards at which they all had to meet in order to participate.  
  
As they left, the children were jostling, muttered words flowing thickly in the air around them.  
  
"Mr. Sairet... I should like to speak with you a moment." The Professors voice rang clearly over the crowds.  
  
Kairn halted mid-step, confusion clouding his dark occuls. Professor Mirillen furrowed her brows in impatience, gesturing for him to step forward.  
  
"Yes?" He queried, his curiosity lacing the words.  
  
"Would your father happen to be a man of the name Pyre?"  
  
Kairn's expression hardened to stone, voice blank, harsh. "He was..." He was too struck by sudden hurt to even wonder why she had brought it up, though later he would spend a great deal of time obsessing over the question.  
  
"Was?" The visible violet orb blinked in obvious inability to understand.  
  
"Yes, was... He's dead." He met her gaze squarely, lifelessly.  
  
"Oh..." Her tone rang with genuine sorrow and sympathy.  
  
"Why...?" The student was in a state of recklessness, mind numb from the repression of pain.  
  
"Nothing, nothing... Just curious. You can go now, thank you." With naught a word more she turned back to her papers. The conversation was finished beyond question.  
  
Kairn shuddered; blinking furiously as he returned to the hall where he knew Faellen was waiting.  
  
"Just curious? Just curious my ass..."  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't like her, Kairn..." Faellen murmured uneasily, glancing backwards at the open doorway through which their teacher could be seen, head bent over parchment scrolls upon her desk.  
  
Kairn rolled his eyes, shoulder checking her slightly so that she had a minor collision with the wall. He had his doubts about Mirillen as well, but he wasn't about to let Faellen in on it. "You don't like anyone, Faell. S'probably why everyone avoids you. You're too twisted and bitter for them to handle." He grinned as he kept walking, knowing she'd have to jog to catch up. The telltale flare of crimson at the side of his vision only earned another smirk as he ducked instinctively, a textbook slamming against the wall ahead of him. "See? Bitter!" He snickered and picked up his pace again, so as to avoid gaining a knuckle shaped indent on the back of his head.  
  
Amusement clogged his mind, but underneath flittered images that would follow him like a faithful, though irritating puppy throughout the day. Of a certain professor by the name of Mirillen... 


	6. So Close

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, Seth, Sienna and yet another addition: Professor Mirillen in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: I realize so far this story has been quite centered around Kairn, or at least a fair few of the chapters have been, but it's all part of the plot. I plan on doing more than one book. None of them will be excessively long, like 100,000 words or anything, but not short, short either. But anywho, I hope you keep reading cause I am having SO much fun writing it ^^  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 6 So Close  
  
Kairn was troubled deeply by the newest Professor on Hogwarts grounds... She was intriguing, yes. But he couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't going to bring the best of change to his life. Unless... His thoughts became strangely whimsical, yearning... She had known his father, hadn't she? Maybe... He almost dared not to think of it, lest that shadow of a dream in the back of his mind would sputter out if whispered aloud. Maybe she knew more of him. Maybe she would tell him. Maybe he was actually alive!  
  
He had been wandering slowly round the edges of the lake, tossing stones out absent-mindedly into the glassy surface of the water. The thought that abruptly shattered the steady train that had been flowing made him stop dead in his tracks. He felt his pulse quicken. He felt his hands clench at his sides. He picked up his pace again.  
  
No. He couldn't let himself think those kinds of things. The higher his hopes were the more it hurt when they collapsed down around him. It had happened before... Like a ladder they would rise, each rung higher than the next, lifting him upward in elation. And the just before he could break the clouds, just before all he had hoped for became a reality, the next rung would disappear, and down he would fall. The higher he went, the worse the crash. 'Twas best not even to attempt the climb anymore.  
  
But he couldn't help it; hand reaching out to grasp that metaphorical rung. What if he was alive? He felt an icy shiver pass down his spine. Maybe... Maybe...  
  
He felt the beginnings of a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was lost in his own world, his own dreams.  
  
He lurched forward with a yelp as a shrill, short shriek rendered the air. It was followed immediately by a loud splash in the lake's surface. His head whipped around and he snarled in impatience as a shock of his obsidian hair fell over his eyes. The water rippled from a central point on the surface.  
  
He squinted as the light reflected off of the water's surface. "Hello?" He called out into the water, trying hard to see below the surface. For a moment he thought he saw a shadow in the gloom but it was gone almost as soon as it had been spotted.  
  
Moments passed. What if someone had fallen in?  
  
Kairn was at a loss, what was he supposed to do. His legs twitched, and he began to turn, maybe he could find someone who knew what was supposed to be done.  
  
As soon as his gaze tore from the lake though, he heard a murmuring lap of water, and an awkward mutter. "Dammit, Kairn... Come back..."  
  
Kairn pivoted so fast on his heel he almost fell forward over a slight mound of clothing he had overlooked before in his panic. He blinked, looking from the dripping, silvern head in the water, to the pile of clothing on the ground.  
  
"T-Taseia? What the hell are you DOING in there? It's November for god's sake! Aren't you freezing?" He was shouting, almost screaming out the words. His mind was unable to grasp what was happening and therefore gave him nothing but vapid panic signals.  
  
His hand was rifling rapidly through his hair, as he swayed back and forth in confusion, not sure what else to do. With more than a few curses that were enough to make a sailor blush he started out to the lapping water.  
  
"Kairn! Don't! Stay up th-" But Taseia hadn't time to finish, ducking lower into the water so that her chin was submerged in the water, wincing.  
  
Kairn slogged out into the water at a jog 'fore his body registered the cold. "Shit!" He floundered backwards, stumbling back up onto the shore. "Get out, Taseia! Get out, now! Why the hell aren't you up here already? Can you swim? Can't you make it to shore?"  
  
He was shouting again, mind not registering the shushing motions Taseia made with her hands, smoothly making her way to the shore. Though her movements were hasty to say the least.  
  
He was pacing erratically by the time she reached the closest point she could without allowing her shoulders out of the water. She noted with distraught concern that he was babbling now. 'Not now! That last thing I need is people milling out here!' She thought bitterly. Her voice, when she spoke was commanding and sharp. Sharper than she thought she could manage, being quite soft-spoken.  
  
"Kairn! Give me my robe. Now."  
  
Kairn seemed to notice her as though for the first time and she almost laughed at his expression. His beetle black eyes were wide with disbelief, hair flayed in all directions from the way he had had his head clamped in his hands. His clothing was drenched up to the hip and his mouth was agape in confusion. She bit her tongue though. Best not to add more stress to the situation.  
  
"Kairn? My robe..."  
  
He nodded dumbly and picked it up from the ground, holding it out in front of him stiffly. His arm stretched to it's greatest length.  
  
Her own silver tinted arm reached up to gather it. She turned her back to him, even though he turned away in sudden awkward realization of why she NEEDED her robe. She pulled it up around her, disregarding how wet the hem became.  
  
She came out slowly from the water, though the distance was short. When she reached the shore she neither looked at Kairn, nor stopped to wait for him, simply kept going. Her bare feet made next to no imprint upon the frost glazed grass.  
  
After a moment, she felt more than heard Kairn draw up alongside her. Neither spoke for what seemed like a long time. It was Kairn who finally broke the silence. "What were you doing in there, Sei?"  
  
She blinked. "Swimming. What did it look like?"  
  
"In November!?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it's FREEZING, that's why not!"  
  
Taseia scowled by didn't reply. She knew better than to argue about this. Just let him think he had won the argument and it would be forgotten. Kairn didn't forget though. She could tell by the shifty glances that he kept sending her and the way his brows furrowed. It would be a good thing. She personally thought that the way he kept emotion hidden was unhealthy... He needed to open up more often. It made her worry. But this was NOT the kind of 'opening up' she had wanted. This matter, at least, deserved privacy... But how was he to know that?  
  
Her slender shoulders rose and fell in a listless sigh. Kairn noted this, and when he spoke again she started at how quiet and almost gentle it was. No, gentle wasn't the word. It was more like less cold. As close to gentle as Kairn would come. "Taseia...? You can trust me... You know that right?"  
  
For the first time since they had left the lakeshores she met his dark gaze with her own oceanic orbs. Her brows tilted upwards and her lips parted to speak. Kairn's head nodded forward, sensing he was on the verge of an answer.  
  
"Where are your shoes?" The sneer condensed in that voice, the mocking made Taseia shiver.  
  
Sienna had found her favourite prey.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia's gaze rose reluctantly, dreading the familiar face, which had once been a sight she relished in. A friend; a confidant. That had all changed though. The trust was mangled beyond repair.  
  
"Hello, Sienna..." She made her lips curve into a pleasant smile. She trained her face to hide the hurt.  
  
Kairn beside her, not knowing the full story was still feeling uneasy at the thick fog of tensions that was swirling about them now. He was loath to make assumptions. He was a scientific person. He wanted the facts first- hand and to make his decisions after.  
  
His scrutinizing glare shifted through the small herd that Sienna had brought with her. Sienna herself, he noted as a fact, could have been quite pretty in a pert and organized kind of way. But the sneer that curled back her upper lip took her from attractive to revolting in one fell swoop. There were a few RavenClaws, mostly second years, though the odd first or third year had joined them. One or two Hufflepuffs were with them as well, not to mention a fair amount of Gryffindors.  
  
He twitched involuntarily as a redheaded Gryffindor, obviously a first year himself, move aside. Harry Potter was standing awkwardly astride them. He felt his hands curve involuntarily into fists at his side, but with steadfast determination relaxed them. It wasn't Potter's fault... He couldn't possibly have been aware of what would follow his interaction with the Dark Lord. A deep breath rose and fell in his chest and Kairn looked forward again. Sienna was looking at Taseia with a mixture of disgust and question.  
  
"Did you fall in the lake or something?"  
  
Taseia rolled her eyes. "Sure, Sienna... If that's what you want to believe then go right ahead."  
  
Sienna chuckled and her little horde followed suite. "Still bitter? Oh, poor girl. Things just keep going downhill for you, don't they?"  
  
Taseia didn't even respond, just turned to Kairn and motioned with her head that they would be making their exit. Kairn brushed past the grouping indifferently but as Taseia moved to follow, Sienna's hand grasped her shoulder. Her mouth opened to speak, the cold glint in her eye clue enough as to what kind of a conversation she planned on having. Kairn's arm shot our roughly, knocking Sienna's away from Taseia.  
  
"Don't touch her... She's not as twisted and sick in the head as you yet, and I think I prefer her this way..." His voice was as cold as Sienna's gaze. His other arm sidled Taseia past him and her former friend's throng. Sienna snarled back at him, cringing. "I am not!"  
  
He chuckled lightly and turned to follow Taseia, who was waiting, relief blatantly etched on her features. "Ouch... That one stung, Sienna... That one stung," he muttered sarcastically. He felt someone else's hand take hold of his own shoulder and whipped around impatiently. "What?"  
  
Harry Potter stared back at him, head high, chest puffed out; obviously trying to be the 'hero'. Kairn said nothing, face impassive, as he tried to gauge what he was supposed to do now. This wasn't his fight. It was between Taseia and Sienna, but it appeared that he and Harry were here for the same reason. He could see a glint of confusion behind Harry's spectacles as well.  
  
A moment of pregnant silence followed this confrontation, before Harry's faltering voice was emitted. "Leave her alone, Kairn..."  
  
Kairn rolled his eyes. "I don't even know why I'm here... My fight isn't with you, Harry-"  
  
"Scared?" Harry blurted out. A feeble inquiry, but it was a point for him. Kairn fought the urge to laugh at this, eyeing how skinny the lad before him was. At receiving no reply Harry's courage inflated and, intoxicated with his 'success', he grew more foolish.  
  
"Scared you'll end up like your Dad? Dead?" A sly smile played over Harry's face...  
  
Kairn would later wonder how Harry knew about that. He would later wonder how long the brawl had lasted. He would regret losing control like that. And he would wonder, no fantasize, about just how much damage he had inflicted upon that infuriating little runt.  
  
As it happened, the last thing he remembered before the incident was lunging at the idiot and yelling at him. "YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MY FATHER!"  
  
And then the next thing he knew he was bleeding from the mouth and nose, his robes were a bit torn and he had Harry Potter straddled on the cobblestones beneath him. Harry's broken spectacles were strewn beside them, one eye turning a shade of plum purple, and a matching bloody nose.  
  
He had felt an abrupt tug at his collar, and ceased the relentless jabs he had been directing at the boy as he choked. A shrill voice permeated the air, scattering the group that was surrounding them. Kairn couldn't see Taseia anywhere and wondered sharply where she had gone.  
  
"Mister Sairet! What in the world in going on here?"  
  
Harry sat up quickly to call out to the seething instructor. "Professor McGonagall! I don't know what happened!"  
  
Kairn snarled but said nothing. McGonagall turned a pitying eye on Harry before her gaze turned frigid as she looked to Kairn. "I don't know if you were aware of the rules we went over at the sorting but if you were too deaf to hear it, fighting is NOT allowed!"  
  
Kairn shouted in protest. "It wasn't just MY fault!"  
  
McGonagall took no heed, turning on heel, Kairn's collar still firmly in hand.  
  
"Mister Potter, please go to the medical wing and ask Madame Pomfrey to clean you up..." With that she picked up a brisk walk and dragged Kairn along with her.  
  
Kairn was seething. Harry got off without a hitch when it had been his group to START the problem and here he was, getting taken to Dumbeldore no doubt. And he knew that the Head Master didn't like him... It seemed everyone was aware of his family's mishaps by now...  
  
He made not a sound as McGonagall pulled him along the hall, ranting and raving all the way.  
  
"He stops the dark lord, his parents are killed, he gets stuck with muggles, and what do you do to him? You attack him! Honestly, I think your mother will be receiving a very angry letter from me! Really! This behaviour is not acceptable, at Hogwarts or anywhere else... And what's more-"  
  
And so it went on and on down the hall...  
  
* * *  
  
"I see..." Dumbledore was seated at his desk, fingers in a steeple before him, long beard trailing over the papers before him.  
  
"I am not sure what to do with you, Mister Sairet... I cannot promote violence in this school, and though you were not at 'fault' per say, this isn't something we can just let go..." His bushy brows rose in expectance of a reply from Kairn.  
  
The last hour had been spent explaining the situation multiple times and answering questions from McGonagall and the Head Master. And still he knew that no matter what was said, it would be him to receive the punishment.  
  
Eventually he had drawn back into an offended, disgusted silence, letting Dumbledore ramble on about what was right and what was wrong. About what his mistake had been and about how to control himself. And about Harry Potter...  
  
And then there was punishment. The fifteen house points deducted was not enough, it seemed... A hearty dose of detentions was also in order along with some 'volunteer work' with Filch.  
  
"Lucky me..." He muttered under his breath as his Head Master explained that working with Filch could be quite fun. Polishing trophies and the like...  
  
"Pardon?" The elderly man asked, gaze inquiring...  
  
Kairn gave no reply and almost grinned at the expression of agitation and puzzlement that was displayed upon the man's face.  
  
With a sigh Dumbledore continued opened his mouth to move on, only to be interrupted by a sharp knock on the heavy wooden doors to his office.  
  
"One moment, child," he murmured to Kairn. "Come in."  
  
The auburn haired head of Professor Mirillen poked in, violet eye twinkling as she caught sight of Kairn and giving a quick wink of a friendly manner.  
  
"I had a feeling I was wanted..." Her voice was light and smooth, confident as well.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, yes... You always were quite astute. Maybe you should take up a position in the divination department..." He laughed all the more at the look a faltering revulsion that crossed her elegant visage. "No thank you, Albus..."  
  
He shrugged good-naturedly. "Ah, well... Back to business. This lad here," he gestured to Kairn. "Is in need of a teacher to aid after classes and before, as a detention. Maybe he can help you sort documents, do marking. Possibly aid you in organizing lesson plans... Anything to keep him busy."  
  
Though the last part of Dumbledore's speech was not said aloud everyone in the room could hear it quite plainly. 'Anything to keep him busy, and out of trouble."  
  
Kairn was about to protest but Mirillen was already speaking. "I have no complaints. I'm in need of some help anyway... Come, Kairn... I'll explain some of your duties on the way to the classroom." Dumbledore nodded in agreement, making a 'shooing' motion with his hands to urge the lad forward. With nary a syllable expressed he slid off the chair and out the door in front of Mirillen.  
  
They proceeded down the numerous corridors in silence for a long while until finally Kairn spoke. "How did you know you were needed anyway?" He looked up at her suspiciously.  
  
His words seemed to snap her out of her thoughts. She looked down at him, regarding him carefully and completely ignoring his question. He had the strong impression that he was being judged... He held his breath, not knowing what was going on but he could feel it. Something was happening now that determined the course of his future. Her eyes burned into his own, her violet gaze drilling a hole into him. Finally, her concentration broke and he released the breath he had been holding. He was relieved by the smug look of contentment that had etched itself upon her pallet. He had passed then. Whatever it was...  
  
"Your father was a good man, Kairn" The way she started her speech with this was a chock to him. He felt his jaw go slack in confusion and a sharp slap of familiar pain, but made no sound. He mentally willed her to continue on, and she complied.  
  
"... A loyal man... A trustworthy man... Am I right in thinking you follow in his footsteps...? I'm in need of more help than in the classroom, Kairn. There are things afoot that I cannot handle on my own. I trusted your father. Can I trust you?"  
  
He could have wept. He could have shouted his joy. He could have beaten on her as he had beaten on another earlier today... But he did none of those things. He could only nod mutely, trying hard not to lose himself to the torrent of emotions that were drowning him. All he knew, all he could be sure of: was that whatever happened next he would not back down... Not when he was so close... Not when he could almost feel it... Not when his father was concerned...  
  
Mirillen looked as though she could have embraced him, her own expression faltering in what he took to be hope and relief. "I need but one thing, Kairn... One favour... Listen closely."  
  
And for the first time all day, he did as he was told with not so much as a hesitation.  
  
He was so close... 


	7. A Stroll Down Memory Lane

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, Seth, Sienna and yet another addition: Professor Mirillen in particular) I am the creator and owner of. And just for this chapter: Deirdre and Pyre. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: My, my! Quite the chapter last time, nay? Heh ^^. Well this one is more of an 'explanation' chapter. It clears a few things up and leaves a few more to be pondered. *evil grin* I can be so mean about that kind of stuff, hehe! Bwuah! And I love the chapter name! I couldn't help myself. It ties, in no way, to the themes of the story, but I just had to. Forgive me! Anywho, depending on the reviews I get from this one, I might have to make little explanations for the rest of my chars, but I think they'll be in separate books, because this one is more focused on Kairn for the moment. In case you didn't catch the subtle hint: review! Hehe ^__^  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 7 A Stroll Down Memory Lane  
  
Pyre Sairet was a passionate man. Everything was black or white, there were no shades of gray. Things happened fast for him and right away he could always be sure, or at least he liked to think so. He worked as a free-lance professor. Money was never tight for him. He never needed much, anyway. A nomad, he loved the exhilaration of never knowing where he was going next.  
  
Due to this nature he never did quite settle down. He came close though, once...  
  
* * *  
  
Deirdre Midas was only nineteen, only just starting her life. She had so many dreams! So many goals! She wanted... She wanted to write novels. The ideas drove her crazy sometimes as they swelled within her. Fiction novels.  
  
It was not meant to be though. She was too timid; too afraid of stepping out into the world and letting it hurt her. And it could be so harsh, sometimes...  
  
Her parents ran an Inn. It wasn't a full-time business, and they attracted little customers. Henceforth, the money flow was tight and there was little, if not nothing, to be spent on any indulgences.  
  
* * *  
  
The moment her emerald eyes locked on his own he was smitten. He loved her. He knew he did, and he knew, to the marrow of his bones, that she would love him back. She had to. How could she not?  
  
Travelling once more, carrying nothing but a satchel in his hand and the clothes on his back, he had stopped at the cheapest Inn he could find. "The Midas Inn," the sign had read. "Service good as gold." He could have laughed, had he not been wary of innkeeper's opinion of him. The cheesy furniture, worn with age, and reeking of a smell he couldn't place, and wasn't sure he wanted to, the Midas Inn was anywhere near "golden".  
  
Still, he had accepted a room, and followed the short, burly man to his quarters, repressing a smile or amusement at the raucous talk that was bursting forth from the lively man. Whether he was animated by natural liveliness or by drink, Pyre wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. He was beginning to like this man anyway. Always a fan of characters, Pyre was...  
  
"Send the lady up in a moment to give ya some sup'!"  
  
With those parting words and a spirited slam of the door, Arvin Midas set off back downstairs, his deep voice singing bar songs so gaudy that should any mother have heard, her child's ears would be sealed shut.  
  
Pyre chuckled, gleefully; quite sure he was going to enjoy his stay. Shoving his few garments into the splintering wooden drawers of a wardrobe he awaited Arvin's wife and the sustenance she was supposed to bring along with her. Some hardy, home-cooked food would do him good...  
  
Seated on the bed, Leaning back against the headboard, he let himself rest his eyes.  
  
When a soft knock sounded on the door, he snapped out of a recent daydream, afflictions he suffered from quite frequently. He coughed, mumbling a welcome and looking upwards.  
  
They crinkled up at the corners, a side effect from her wide smiles that was intriguing though even more-so endearing. Her eyes, that is.  
  
"Soup tonight, vegetable with bread and some beef as well." Her voice sounded distant to him, being that he was still lost in those jaden orbs... Distant like the choirs of heaven are to mortal ears. So very beautiful it almost hurt to hear.  
  
"I can get you a sandwich, it's not a problem..."  
  
She spoke quickly, misunderstanding his silence. Pyre winced at the sound of her voice, which was in truth not out of the ordinary at all, but to him it was angelic. So deep in the infatuation, he was.  
  
"No! No, soup is... It's fine."  
  
Deirdre chuckled gently, stepping in through the doorway, and placing the tray gently on the table, the wood creaking at just that mild weight. She straightened her willowy frame, Pyre wondering from where she had inherited that height, as her father was so tiny. The mother?  
  
She turned as she left the room to flash a grin. Pyre leaped up with such an intensity she started, startling eyes widening in surprise.  
  
"Uh... Th-thankyou!" He gave a hopeful smile, so full of an almost puppy- ish need for approval she couldn't swallow a little laugh, at which Pyre blushed like a maiden and proceeded to cough in order to fill in his silence.  
  
"Your welcome," she said, her voice all the soft kindness his affections deserved... She was used to this by now. "Enjoy your supper and ring that bell," she indicated to a little silver bell, cracked up the side, hanging in a corner. "When you need me to take the bowls away...  
  
* * *  
  
Pyre stayed the night. And the next. And the next after that. And many more. Almost six months he spent in that unruly little home. Guests came and guests left. Tempers flared as one after another young lad like Pyre would stop by, swoon at the sight of Deirdre, try to woo her, and eventually just leave. How many suitors came and went? Pyre lost track...  
  
Deirdre didn't...  
  
* * *  
  
"You're tapping again, Pyre..." It was an observation, not a reprimand.  
  
"Oh... Sorry, Dee. Can't help it sometimes." Pyre tore his gaze away from the window, reluctantly. He had been watching a merchants cart roll down the street. The last one to leave this month after the usual festivities...  
  
Deirdre wasn't sure whether she looked pained or pleased when she said this... "You should go, Pyre. I see you watching the world go by. Life is too quiet for you here... Go on the way with the wind at your back..."  
  
Pyre started, his eyes snapping quickly back into focus. He had never told her. Immediately, he was in denial. "I don't know wh-"  
  
"Pyre, please... Spare me the innocence. You're a lot more transparent than you like to think you are. At least," she added with a smile, "to those who look close enough."  
  
He grimaced, holding her gaze for but a moment, and then turned back to the window. Deirdre frowned. "Pyre! I thought we were better friends than this! You want to go, but you stay for me..." She laughed at the incredulous look he gave her, half of longing, half of horror. "You forget I've seen this in more men than you..." It was a half-truth though... She'd seen it. But never so deep. Never so stubborn. They had all left. He had stayed. At it was... That was important to her. He was still here... Because of her.  
  
Pyre bit his tongue, standing up quickly and stalking closer to the window, hand running through his ebon hair. Deirdre's reflection appeared behind his own, golden hair, creamy skin, emerald eyes... His love, his passion, and at the same time his curse... He couldn't keep holding on like this. But how could he let her go.  
  
Deirdre could feel him breaking and for a moment she wanted to stop her pushing... Ha said he wanted to stay with her, right? So let him! It was his choice and she wouldn't have to lose him. She bit her tongue in the silence, 'til the bittersweet taste of blood was in her mouth. With a shuddering breath she put a hand upon his shoulder. "Go... Go, please... You have so many dreams that you have to-"  
  
She let out a yelp of surprise as he whipped around; gripping her shoulders harshly, his eyes burning into hers. She squirmed to try to release herself as he shook her, a pained expression upon his pallet. "What about your dreams, Deirdre?! You have to have dreams! Are you going to stay here forever? You can't live in your parents' home the rest of your life! You can't live ALONE the rest of your life! Live your life, Deirdre! Don't keep hiding from it!"  
  
Involuntarily she let out a whimper of pain and Pyre let go immediately, staggering back as she clutched one of her arms, eyes closed tight, tears shimmering at the bottom of the lids. "Oh, Deirdre... I'm-" He stuttered. "Are you-" The words weren't coming... "Does it hurt?"  
  
Was it a sob or a strangled laugh that Deirdre sounded? He couldn't tell... "It's not that, Pyre... It's not that..." It did hurt, she could even now feel the welt of a bruise rising under her fingers, but what hurt more was in her mind, or was it her heart? Nothing was making sense anymore. "I just... I just can't go, Pyre. Why can't you understand that?" His eyes begged her for an explanation, for a reason, for anything... But how could she tell him? Nothing had ever been reliable... At first the proclamations of love had been flattering and she had warmed to each man who showed affections. And every time they left... And every time she wept. And so every time she grew more set against taking that risk. Why was Pyre any different...? Her emerald eyes were glazed with tears as she watched him slump down into his chair, head in his hands.  
  
Had time stopped? To Deirdre it seemed as though they were frozen there forever, the sorrow and confusion hanging in the air as tangible as the floor beneath her feet. And then, as though in slow motion, Pyre rose to his feet. His gaze was softer than she had expected though a resignation and a sadness was just inches below the surface. "Deirdre... I could walk out of here right now and never turn back. I could live my life a moment at a time, never take a wife and travel the globe... And I would be happy with what I was doing, but never with where I was... Because no matter where I go Deirdre, no matter how far I search... I'm never going to find a place any other place like this in the world... I'm never going to find another you..."  
  
With another one of those slow, sad smiles that made her want o hold him and shriek at him at the same time, Pyre turned to the stairs. It was barely a sound; an indecipherable squeak of sorts, but it made him pause.  
  
"Pyre... Have you ever been to Spain?" His eyes were answer enough, a curious negative. "Would you like to?" A shy grin that crinkled the corners of her eyes, eyes that held the stars within, peaked Deirdre's expression...  
  
Pyre never did answer. There was not enough breath in him to reply as he enveloped Deirdre within his arms. But she seemed to take it as a yes, anyway...  
  
* * *  
  
Spain then France, then a brief stint in Russia followed suit. Egypt, Italy and Ireland are not to be forgotten either. Somewhere between Dublin and Hertfordshire Kairn was born... He was a hearty seven pounds eight ounces, not exactly a large child, but not a small one either. It had been November 1st, full seven months before the birth of another lad... The boy who lived.  
  
Money was considerably tight afterwards. And it got even worse when Pyre quit his current teaching job, spur of the moment after a heated argument with a co-worker...  
  
By that time there had been rumors enough circulating. Needed some help? Everyone knew where they could go if they were desperate enough... And even those who wanted nothing tangible. Whose only motive was power and greed. They sometimes strayed too... Pyre fell into the fray due to the first example. And once he realized it was a mistake, backing out was not an option. Deirdre knew of course. She didn't approve, of course. But what was there to do?  
  
* * *  
  
It was a full two years before it happened. One boy was about two, the other only one and a half or less. Pyre had dreaded and welcomed that day. Freed and afraid, what choice had they but to flee? They found them anyway. Those who had once been opposed against were now the opposers, themselves. They sought out those 'responsible' for years to come before they were finally satisfied that they had gotten them all. The hunt lasted maybe seven years. It only took five for them to find Pyre...  
  
* * *  
  
At seven years old, Kairn didn't understand at first. It took at least another three years for it to sink in. Deirdre, now a single parent and trying to raise a child and swallow her grief at once took a job as a cashier at Flourish and Blotts. Another four years later Kairn would receive a summons from a prestigious school that wished for his attendance. He didn't go. He couldn't leave his mother. Not like this. It was the next year, a year later than was the norm that Kairn said a concerned farewell to Deirdre and traveled to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
* * *  
  
And that, I do believe... Brings you back to where we came in. Questions answered? Good... New questions formed? Even better... 


	8. Complications

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own many of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Bwuah! Back to reality land, no more past travelling for a while, I promise... The plot is finally kicking off! YAY! Sorry that you're left hanging a bit in regards to Mirillen's 'info' but it'll all be explained later. Patience, patience...  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 8 Complications  
  
Kairn sat, mouth agape in both confusion and wonder as Professor Mirillen relayed hurried instructions and half explanations to him in the safe haven of her office. Taseia paced worriedly in the Great Hall, frantically worrying over what the hell had happened to Kairn (and feeling a mite guilty at being the cause as well). Oblivious to all of this Seth and Faellen made their way out to the lake, sharpened ice skates in hand. Seth had had to lend Fael a pair, which had made her irritable for awhile, but Seth was unobtrusive and easy-going enough to keep quiet until her sour mood passed.  
  
"Come ON, Fael! I didn't think anythin' could walk tha' slow!" Seth cajoled Faellen as they walked in the crisp afternoon air; the sunlight casting it's slanted rays over them both. She sent him a withering glare, but he could already see the ghost of a smile flickering over her maw and only grinned. He was loping easily in his playful enthusiasm ahead of, then back to Faellen. He jogged in circles around her every once in awhile just to jibe her into speeding after him for a moment.  
  
"Shut up, already! I'll walk my own speed, thanks..." She replied coldly, but laughed despite herself.  
  
A few of the Hogwarts professors were setting a time aside after the classes at which point they would freeze the lake for an hour or two and let the students enjoy... Winter was teetering on the brink as of now, making it colder than usual, but not quite coming just yet.  
  
Seth opened his mouth to reply, tossing his unruly locks out of his eyes, but stopped, as they were already there. "Thank god," he murmured. "I was worried we might no'get here 'fore it was unfrozen..." Out of the corner of his eye he perceived a quick grin from Faellen, though it was quickly swallowed in an effort to resume a 'disgusted' expression...  
  
Just as he finished lacing his skates the amassed students started racing off onto the newly frozen pond. Professor Flitwick was puffing along the ice after them. "It's not fully frozen yet! Off with you, off with you!" But his words were drowned out by the laughter of the children and in the end he could only chuckle and shrug, skidding back to the edge of the pond.  
  
Professor Sprout frowned and opened her mouth to order the kids off the ice, but Flitwick murmured a few words to her with a chuckle and she shook her head and continued the freezing of the ice, with a smile upon her guile. Somewhere in the background Professor Trelawney skittered around the edges muttering something in an airy, dramatic tone about there being death nearby... As usual she was completely and utterly ignored, which only produced a huffy scowl from the wispy instructor before she stalked off to the School.  
  
Seth was already on the ice by the time Faellen teetered undecidedly to the edge... She eyed the cold surface mistrustfully. "Maybe I'll just run back inside, Seth... I don't think ice is my 'thing'."  
  
Seth would hear nothing of it though, wrapping an arm around her side and steering her out on the ice before letting go and skating in front of her. She wobbled uncertainly, obviously not well practiced. "Seth! Don't leave me out here! A little help?" Her hair smoked precariously as he crowed his laughter, though good-naturedly and skated back to her, grasping one of her arms in his own.  
  
"Jus' like this, Faellen, jus' like this!" He directed her gaze to his feet and after a time she grinned despite herself.  
  
"I think I'm getting it!" She unlatched herself from Seth, taking a few careful strides by herself, pleased by the result.  
  
He grinned and clapped. "Good show! Bravo!" Faellen sent him another acidic gaze, but was enjoying herself nonetheless. "Just stay near by, okay, Seth?"  
  
Even as he opened his mouth to affirm that he would indeed stay nearby, which he intended to do, he found himself caught in a group of other skaters, laughing and talking. One of the girls latched onto his arm as she started to fall and he skidded to a stop in order to keep both their balances. The next thing he knew she was laughing and thanking him, pulling him back in the direction of the throng from which she had come.  
  
In a sudden panic he peered over the heads of those behind him, trying to spot Faellen's distinctive red hair. He thought he spotted it once but it turned out to be a young lad he recognized from the sorting. All the while he was being pushed and tugged around by a group of people who he had been entangled in.  
  
* * *  
  
"Seth!" Faellen called after her elusive companion, despairing. Suddenly, her courage was gone. There was no one here to help her... She swallowed her pride and set a shaky course back to the shores of the lake. Her travels took her through the center of the lake, and before she could react the world became a disorienting mess around her.  
  
She couldn't breath! She was swallowing water, arms flailing at the surface of the water only to find a solid sheet of ice. Her feline orbs opened, despite the sting of her oculars to the frigid cold. She tried to scream, tried to pound against the ice, but the water simply poured down her throat, clogging her airway, and her arms were going numb and refusing to work properly.  
  
I'm going to die...  
  
It was all that she could think of, all that kept shrieking in her mind. Had she not been submerged in a liquid already she would have been crying. Body convulsing in the icy temperatures and the lack of air, her lungs burning, she thrust out her hands with the last shred of sanity she had before panic set in.  
  
And she felt a hand grab her own. And as quickly as she had fallen through that one thin piece of ice, where the magic had yet to finish it's task, she had her head above water, coughing and gasping for breath, sucking in great, greedy gulps of air. She wasn't free of the water yet though. In front of her she could see through the haze of water in her eyes a dark haired lad, his own green eyes, almost hidden behind comically large spectacles, locked onto hers. He was stretched flat out on the ice, and he now clutched her hand with both his own.  
  
And so Harry Potter pulled her from the water.  
  
* * *  
  
Seth was wild with panic as the shrill scream rendered the laughter of the other children asunder. He found himself shouting at the group of girls that the femme he had helped had ensnared him in. He could feel his jaw grinding in his aggravation as they squealed, afraid now. They clutched with surprising strength to his sweater, trying to leech some sort of comfort.  
  
Later he would suffer a few glances from others that were more confused than afraid, though not by much. He didn't think about it though, he just snapped a few times at his 'captors' hands, though never actually touching them. The screams grew in decibel level, but he was oblivious to them, skating at break-neck speed to the origin of the scream.  
  
"Faellen!" His voice was hoarse in his throat, trying to fight fear and guilt at the same time. He shoved his way roughly through the circle of students that had massed around the center of the lake. He wasn't a bright lad, as has been mentioned before, but he didn't have to pause to realize what was going on. There was someone, he didn't take the time to notice who, sprawled flat on the ice and in his hand was a pale, slender one. Faellen's hand...  
  
Then in the time it takes to blink he too was spread out on the frozen surface of the lake, hands wrapped firmly around the ankles of the other lad. If that lad went in, Faellen didn't have a glimmer of a chance. By that time, of course, the teachers were spilling onto the ice, shouting spells and latching onto hands.  
  
Seth released a strangled cry of relief and joy as Faellen's head broke the surface, coughing and spluttering for breath. He stumbled to his feet, racing forward as the teacher's helped the dark haired boy who had grabbed hold of her pull Fael fully out of the freezing waters.  
  
* * *  
  
She was still so disoriented... It had happened so fast. First she was wobbling back to shore, then she was in the water, and then someone was pulling her out. It hadn't helped her get a better grasp of what was going on, but when Seth had come charging over, and grabbed hold of her so tightly she couldn't really breath she hadn't minded that much... She was out and Seth was here and she was going to be okay. And now she was wrapped in a few magically heated blankets at the side of the lake, Seth on one side and surprisingly enough, Harry Potter on the other.  
  
Today certainly had taken an interesting turn...  
  
Seth hadn't stopped spouting apologies and inquiries as to her health until she had firmly told him in her most acidic of voices that if he didn't shut up she would shove him into the lake herself. He had only smiled then and wrapped her in another bone crushing embrace, quite assured everything was back to normal.  
  
Harry Potter hadn't said much. He'd murmured 'your welcome's' to her thanks, and said a few thank you's to Seth for helping keep him steady, but that was it. He appeared to be rather the shy type. She couldn't tell whether that was just the way he was or if he was a bit afraid of her. She didn't really care at the moment though... She was breathing and she was warm and nothing else mattered just then.  
  
Faellen wasn't one to let these things slip long, though, and it was only a matter of moments before she voiced her nagging thoughts. "You're quiet... Why?" Blunt, yes, but it got the point across.  
  
His head snapped up, brows arched upwards, green occuls flashing with question and a mild dose of surprise.  
  
"You mean he didn't tell you?"  
  
Faellen's brow scrunched downwards in her obvious confusion. "Who? Who didn't tell me what?"  
  
Harry returned the quizzical expression. "But he would have, wouldn't he? I mean, you guys are close and it's not secret what happened, is it? Oh..." A light of sudden comprehension dawned in his emerald orbs and Faellen had the sudden urge to smack him and tell him that he wasn't exactly helping HER understand anything. "He's probably still... Cause I didn't get in trouble... God, I hadn't meant for things to go that way... It just happened! Will you apologize for me? I think he'd sock me if I tried... Not that I'd blame him, I mean I said some things I shouldn't have. But I don't want to fight with him like this and you seem nice enough and if you hang around with him he can't be that bad because otherwise why would you bother hanging aro-"  
  
It wasn't a smack but the violent shaking of Harry's shoulders managed to grab his attention.  
  
"Who?! What happened? What trouble? Why would he sock you? Where did all this happen? What happened? WHO?!"  
  
Harry must have gotten a little scared, because Faellen had that odd disheveled look about her that made him think she WOULD slap him around a bit if he didn't start making sense. So he actually went mute for a second, but that only increased the disarrayed look of Faellen so he quickly started stuttering out an explanation. Or he would have if they hadn't been interrupted.  
  
"FAEL? What are you doing?! Dammit..."  
  
. . .  
  
"Tainted?"  
  
"Tainted."  
  
"Tainted!"  
  
"Yes, tainted! That's what I said isn't it?" Mirillen shook her head in exasperation.  
  
Kairn had managed to take most of the long and complex story with relative ease but even now that she had finished he kept coming back to this same point. He was totally stuck on it, and she could understand why, but she wasn't the most patient person and it was starting to get underneath her skin...  
  
With difficulty she managed to adopt a gentle smile, rising from her seat and walking over to Kairn, where he sat stock still, his expression completely flabbergasted. She draped an arm over his shoulders in a manner of motherly affection.  
  
"You need some time to take all this in, Kairn... Go you your dorm, lie back and just mull it over... I don't need you to say anything right now; it can all wait until you've gotten used to the idea. Just relax and think it through... Take your time."  
  
As she spoke she led him to the doorway, giving him a gentle push out of the door. When he was ready he'd come back. And she had no doubt that he WOULD be coming back. She almost didn't have time to bite down that smile before Kairn turned around to say good bye... There were no worries; he would be coming back.  
  
. . .  
  
Kairn stumbled out into the hallway, turning around again, mouth open to voice a question. But the door was already closed. "Wow..." It was murmured with partial awe and partial disbelief. He was sorting it all out in his head with ample amounts of difficulty. It had made sense, of course. She had explained it and given the reasons and it seemed right enough.  
  
No, he told himself. It didn't SEEM right, it WAS right. He had to do this... It was his obligation, if not for himself and Mirillen then for his father. His father never got to finish. Kairn will for him... Or so he planned...  
  
Feeling slightly reassured, but still chalk full of inquiries he meandered out into the main Hallway. He didn't even see her coming, but the next thing he knew he was being squeezed between her two pale, silver-sheen limbs.  
  
"Taseia! What's the big idea?"  
  
"Oh, thank god you're alright! I know they wouldn't have done anything to you, but I felt so guilty! It was all my fault and I didn't want you mixed up in that, and then things got out of control and McGonagall was dragging you off! I'm so sorry."  
  
Taseia finally let him go, much to his relief. He met her gaze feeling all the better though. It helped, as much as he refused to admit it, to have someone just to worry about you. A small sentiment, but meaningful enough.  
  
"I'm fine, really... And I was already a bit 'mixed up' with Harry Potter, so it's not like you dragged me in THAT much. I had to sort a few things out..."  
  
Taseia scowled, noting how he slid so easily back into that steady drawl, collected and calm. The part about him and Harry confused her more than she let on, but she didn't pry. Prying never helped with Kairn... "Come on, then... Seth said he and Fael were going to skate on the lake. Let's go out and meet them..."  
  
Kairn nodded his consent and they made their way companionably over the rolling green of Hogwarts grounds. He spotted Faellen's red hair before anything else. It took him only a half a second longer to recognize the black haired boy beside her...  
  
"FAEL? What are you doing?! Dammit..."  
  
He didn't even notice when Taseia balked in surprise and another bout of curiosity, he was already charging up the lawns at an impossibly fast walk. Had it been possible there would have been smoke pouring from his ears. 


	9. Conflict

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Tainted? Tainted. Tainted! Hehe! I got so many confused comments about that, but that's how I planned it. I had a major brain blockage for a long, long time, but I finally made myself start writing this chapter and then it all started up again. I'm free of the brain blockage! And, as a bonus to ski, who I know will be pleased, there were no extra chars in this chapter! YAY! And just to have it said today is my birthday! I'm getting so old... *sniffle* Aren't you proud? XD Anywho, enjoy this chapter as my present to you for my birthday.  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 9 Conflict  
  
"It wasn't hard." Her hair ruffled over her shoulders as she shook her head.  
  
"Still... The deed is done. Now we wait..." The impossibly thin lips stretched back in a smile that managed to turn the pleasant gesture into a revolting grimace. "You're quite beautiful, Nimue."  
  
Nimue winced, as he knew she would, that absurd smile widening.  
  
"I used to be." Her full lips pursed, brows twitching downwards.  
  
"I took nice care of that, though, didn't I?"  
  
She nodded, gaze turned downwards. "Of course..."  
  
"Of course," he echoed in sadistic pleasure. "Don't pout... It spoils what looks you have left."  
  
He turned away before he could see her wince.  
  
* * *  
  
Kairn crested the hill at full speed, Taseia running along after him in an effort to keep up.  
  
"Sei!" Seth's face broke into a grin as he stood up to see the two figures better, chocolate occuls lighting up. "And Kairn."  
  
Fael looked up, her lips twitching upwards almost distrustfully. What was up with Kairn? She turned back to Harry in time to see his brows shoot upwards and his green eyes bulge outwards. He stood hastily, coughing into a hand. Fael stood too, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.  
  
"I think... I don't... I'd better be off!" Harry said quickly, smiling in a horribly transparent attempt at trying to conceal is anxiety.  
  
Fael grabbed hold of his shoulder, shaking a finger in reprimand. "Oh, no you doubt."  
  
Harry took one look at her hair, which was still stationary at the moment but you could never really tell when it was going to start to smoke, and sat down again. Fael backed up a step upon noting that he looked like he was going to throw up.  
  
"Seth! Faellen!" Taseia jogged up and grinned at them both. Kairn had stopped dead and his gaze was shifting from revulsion upon Seth and Fael, to accusation upon Harry.  
  
"Sorry about this, I have no idea what in the hell Kairn is going on about. We were coming back from the lake and I ran into Sienna." If anyone besides Kairn had been watching Harry they would've seen him flinch while continuing to determinedly stare at his shoes. "She was being a total prat... As usual." Harry frowned and looked as though he might've said nothing, but snuck a glance at Kairn who had a vein in his temple throbbing and stayed silent.  
  
Taseia continued on oblivious to Harry, talking fast. "And so me'n Kairn went to leave and guess who decided to butt in! Not only butt in but also get Kairn in heaps of trouble while he ran off! You won't be able to guess, so I might as well tell y-"  
  
She stopped dead, brows rising, jaw dropping and a scarlet flush on her cheeks as she saw Harry. Fael frowned and threw her hands up in exasperation, a few strands of her hair beginning to flicker precariously. "Is NOBODY going to make sense today?! Nobody at all?"  
  
With a huff she threw herself back down onto her seat, arms crossed, her tresses beginning to flame.  
  
Harry stood up hurriedly and smiled meekly. "That's, uh... What I was trying to talk to you about, Faellen. See, Kairn and I had a bit of a... A disagreement and things got out of hand and..." He trailed off.  
  
"Fael. I have to talk to you." Kairn finally spoke again, his voice dead serious, his face entirely composed. There was not a single inflection in his sentence. It wasn't even an implication, let alone a question. "Now..."  
  
Faellen snarled. "No! Why do I have to go talk to you right now? I just fell into the damn lake! If you want to say something, say it here!" Her hair wasn't on the brink anymore, it was alight with flames, wavering and spitting.  
  
Kairn gave a twitch, but nodded. "Fine. I'm going." He turned on heel and stalked off. It was times like this Faellen wished she were enough like to Taseia to carry around her schoolbooks. Even if it was only for the sole purpose of chucking one directly at Kairn's head. Taseia frowned, her slender brows furrowing and looked to Faellen.  
  
"I'm gonna go see what's the matter with him, alright Fael... I'll be back in a bit. Bye... Bye Seth." She turned around to run after Kairn.  
  
Seth made a low rumbling sound deep in his throat his eyes following her as she began to run off. He looked to Fael apologetically. "I'm... I'll... Sorry, Fael. I'm gonna go see what's wrong with Kairn too." He gave her another pleading look and then darted after them, catching up to and falling in pace with Taseia.  
  
Faellen stood up, quivering with anger, her hair flaring a full foot into the air. "Fine! See if I care! I'm fine here! You're all... Stupid," she finished lamely, pouting like an infant. She dropped herself down onto the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and muttering under her breath.  
  
Harry shifted position awkwardly and Fael looked up. She'd forgotten he was there. "You got in a fight, then..." She mumbled somberly.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Ugh... It was stupid. Can we just forget about it?" He grinned in a plea.  
  
"Fine..." She agreed resentfully, standing up again and running her hand over her tresses to flatten them down again, only half succeeding.  
  
Harry smiled in obvious relief. "It's about lunch now... You wanna go grab a bite to eat?"  
  
Fael grinned hesitantly, but nodded. "Sure..."  
  
Harry returned the grin and the headed down the lawn together.  
  
* * *  
  
Kairn was fuming. Why did she have to be so stupid! Stupid, stupid stupid! Dammit, Faellen... He was in such a state he didn't even realize Taseia and Seth were there until he stepped into the school's hallways and almost fell over Tai before his eyes adjusted to the dark.  
  
They made their way in silence to the library, wherein they found a corner table and plunked themselves down into the seats. Taseia didn't dare say anything for the first two minutes. Kairn's eyes were blazing...  
  
After a tense while Seth finally coughed, breaking up the reverie a bit. Taseia took the opportunity. "Kairn? What was that all about? Was it about the fight?"  
  
Kairn grunted a laugh, but it was dry. "You think I'm the kind of person that makes those kind of bitter grudges?"  
  
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No! No, that's not what I meant. I just thought... I mean, why else would you be upset...?" She tilted her head to the side, trying in vain to understand.  
  
Kairn shook his head as well, though slower, more deliberately, a new emotion she couldn't place flickering over his dark features. "You wouldn't understand, Sei."  
  
She let out a disgruntled breath. "Try me!"  
  
Kairn chuckled again. "Rather not, thanks..."  
  
Taseia was frowning now, getting a frustrated as well as concerned. Seth put out a hand quickly, shaking his own head. "Forget it... We'll talk 'bout it when ye wan' t'do so." He gave them both a glance that confirmed the subject was indeed over with. Taseia didn't know whether to be mad or thankful. Even if he was a bit dim about schoolwork, Seth was an excellent people person.  
  
"Right, then..." Taseia's voice indicated she accepted defeat for now. "You have a class with me tomorrow, right Seth?"  
  
Her face lit up with a grin, which he returned quickly. "So I am! Tha'll be great! What class?" Unless he had his list right in front of him he usually didn't know where he was supposed to be most of the time... It made him late a lot, as you might have guessed.  
  
Taseia grinned widely. She was used to and rather fond of his quirky mentality. "Charms, Seth. Second block."  
  
Seth nodded enthusiastically, as though he was fully aware that Charms was second block. "Oh right. 'Course..."  
  
He grinned sheepishly as Taseia burst out laughing, even Kairn arching a brow, a half smile of pity and amusement curving his maw. Taseia met his gaze somberly. "What happened to Faellen? She said something about falling in the lake?"  
  
Seth nodded, serious as well. "Yeah. I took 'er out t'go skating and she was jus' getting the hang o' it but the ice wasn't fully frozen yet. I... I got pulled 'way from 'er and she fell through the ice." His shoulders hunched and he lowered his head closer to the table, looking up at Taseia in apology. "I didn't mean t'leave her! This girl ran int'me and the next thing I knew she was gone! I was really worried 'bout 'er an' then I heard her scream... I got there as fast as I could..." His gaze shifted to the table.  
  
Taseia shook her head, reaching over the table to tap Seth's shoulder. "Seth! Come on... It wasn't your fault. You didn't mean for it to happen, and she's okay... That's what matters." She felt guilty for bringing it up as Seth was obviously pretty messed up over it. Taking the blame...  
  
"She wouldn't be if Harry 'adn't been quicker'n me... He's the one that pulled 'er out."  
  
Kairn looked up, taking an interest in the conversation for the first time. "Harry pulled her out?"  
  
Seth looked up, bemused. "Yeah... Tha's what I said, right?"  
  
Kairn wasn't listening, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. Is dark eyes were narrowed, lips pulled into a scowl of concentration. After what seemed to take forever he finally murmured, "Why?"  
  
Seth shrugged, raising his hand to rub behind his ear. "I dunno... 'E saw 'er drownin' an' helped 'er. It was the right thing t'do, I guess."  
  
Kairn chuckled dryly. "No... The tricky little bugger. I don't know what he's trying to pull but I'm not going to let him get away with it."  
  
Taseia blinked, trying to see what was going on behind that closed expression. "Kairn...?"  
  
He pushed back his chair, though, the wooden seat clattering loudly on the cobblestones and stalked from the library. Taseia let out a groan and slumped in her own seat, head in her hands on the table.  
  
"What's up with him? He won't talk about it; he won't let anyone help... I get worried about him... You know? You ever worry?" She looked up through the curtain of her silver hair to Seth, her shifting cyan occuls almost begging for some sort of reassurance.  
  
Seth nodded, looking more confident than he felt. "Everyone worries, See... It's normal. An' Kairn gets pretty confusion'. He'll be aright, though. I think 'E's just stressed. Everybody's getting' worn thin. After Winner Break ell be fine. You'll see..."  
  
Taseia nodded in relief, switching chairs to sit by Seth, folding her arms on the table and resting her dial atop them. "You staying for Winter Break, Seth?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. Me Mum 'as six oth'r little uns at home an' another on the way. She doesn't need anoth'r mouth t'feed."  
  
Taseia couldn't help her brows shooting up. "Big family..."  
  
Seth grinned in embarrassment. "Aye... It's fun, though. An' they're real good kids. It's a bit loud, but... cozy." He shrugged. "Pro'bly sounds like too much to ye, but it's really not tha-"  
  
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No, no! It sounds great! I only have one sister. She's a god ten years older than I am though... I never see her."  
  
Seth blinked. "That's pretty far apart."  
  
Taseia shrugged, nodding. "That's just the way it worked out..."  
  
Seth smiled sympathetically. "Ack... Forget it! Ye've got enough people 'round now that ye'll probably be goin' crazy for some time alone by the end o' things."  
  
Taseia grinned, nodding back. "You're probably right; about everything. I'm definitely ready for a vacation..."  
  
Seth leaned back in his chair. "Ye don't need t'say tha' again... So what about ye? Are ye stayin'?"  
  
Taseia nodded. "My family is too far away to go and visit. Even after taking the train, I'd have to travel another few days on a muggle coach, which is so uncomfortable after the Hogwarts train. Then I'd only have a few days with my family, not even enough time to settle down before I'd have to get back on a train if I wasn't to be here on time."  
  
Seth frowned in concern. "Did ye want t'go back?"  
  
Taseia shrugged. "I don't know... I'm kind of liking it here... Even though my mom's cooking is to die for." A smile tugged at her lips. "If I'm lucky she'll send some up with the presents. You'd like it I think."  
  
Seth grinned back. "I'm sure I will!"  
  
Taseia stood up, righting Kairn's chair back up again. "I'm getting hungry... You in the mood for lunch?"  
  
Seth hopped to his feet, pushing in their chairs. "Do you even need to ask?"  
  
Taseia's laugh was anwser enough as they strolled out through the doors. 


	10. Sinking Fast

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for the incredibly long pause... I got really discouraged with my writing for a long time and almost wanted to shut everything down. I'm not going to though! Writing more! I like this chapter actually. Harry Potter is in it again (he will be in a few, just so you know. Not as a main character but he's just there...). He kind of bothers me sometimes, but for the most part he adds another dimension with Faellen that nobody else does just because of how their personalities click and collide at the same time. I'm having particular fun with good old Fael in this chapter, actually.  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 10 Sinking Fast  
  
Kairn stopped dead, Mirillen's wand digging into his forehead and her mouth open to shout come hex or another.  
  
"Kairn! It's you. Oh..." She lowered her wand slowly, releasing a shaky breath. "Sorry about that, but, eh... Next time: knock."  
  
Kairn nodded, releasing his breath. He'd stormed from the library, so livid and sure, that he hadn't even paused to wonder if she was in her office. He'd just shoved open the door and the next thing he knew he had a feeling he was going to get his head blown off... That lady had quick reflexes, if nothing else... Maybe she was just a little jumpy. More like paranoid, he thought wryly.  
  
He didn't let himself get distracted for long, closing the door behind him with a suspicious glance down the halls that received a curious smirk from Mirillen who was seated behind him. Turning around he nodded once firmly. At receiving no verbal answer he did so again, this time speaking.  
  
"I'll do it. I'm gonna do it, Professor."  
  
A slow smile spread over Mirillen's lips and she inhaled sharply, a glassy look coming over her one visible eye that made Kairn think she might start crying. She stood up quickly and wrapped him in a hug, quite motherly actually. "Thank you! I knew I could count on you! We knew if you were anything like your father..."  
  
Kairn blinked furiously, trying to pretend the catch in her voice and her talk of his father weren't incredibly affecting him. Mirillen pulled back far enough to brush his hair out of his eyes which did remind him horribly of his own mother, probably working her second shift at Flourish and Blotts right now... "And you are, Kairn. You're just like him."  
  
Kairn coughed low in his throat and nodded, swiping casually at one eye and muttering something under his breath about 'dust'. He was not going to cry. He'd kill himself before he let himself cry in front of anyone. Mirillen gave another smile and drew back, seating herself on the edge of her desk and crossing her arms in her lap. "Now, Kairn, you're sure you wish to do this. Absolutely sure. Once you start, you can't turn back. Make your decision for sure. You can still walk away..."  
  
This last, more than anything else, made Kairn shake his head, taking a step forward. "I said I'm in, and I mean it! Just tell me when, Professor. I can do this." He narrowed his pupils, though one wouldn't be able to tell, what with his eye colouration.  
  
An appraising smile lit Mirillen's lips. "I know you can, Kairn. Thank you, once more... You're doing the right thing. I'll contact you when things start moving into action. Go ahead. Go back to your friends. Relax, Kairn..."  
  
He returned her smile with more of a confident smirk that made her own curve all the further in satisfaction. "I'll see you later." Letting himself out, feeling confident and sure and for the moment content, he made his way to the Great Hall. Lunch was good. He deserved it. He knew he did. And maybe he'd apologize to Tasiea and Seth for storming out like that. Hell, he could even forgive Faellen. She didn't know any better, anyway.  
  
He was still almost walking on air as he shoved open the double doors.  
  
* * *  
  
Faellen wasn't quite sure where she was supposed to sit, and apparently, neither was Harry. Slytherin and Gryffindor didn't usually mix, obviously enough. Picking her own table she sat down and Harry followed warily, casting furtive glances up and down the table. A low, disproving hiss seemed to settle around them, and whilst tossing a glance over her shoulder she could see points and stares from the Gryffindor table. Harry kept his gaze glued to his plate, as though oblivious. It was easy to see he was unsettled as well.  
  
They ate in silence mostly, and Fael for one wasn't about to start a conversation. She had sent more than one accusing glare to those who's eyes she felt riveted upon her back, but they'd only blinked and kept right on staring. She didn't know what else to do. So she ate. Harry hadn't said a word and was looking rather petrified. He hadn't eaten either, just pushed around the food on his plate.  
  
Fael dropped her fork with a loud clatter on her plate. "You wanna get out of here, Harry?" She arched her brows, trying to look like she didn't care but privately hoping to get out of everyone's line of sight.  
  
"Yeah," he said, looking as though he'd been waiting for her to say just that. He stood up quickly, the hissing doubling in volume around them, and they both filed out of the Great Hall.  
  
They made their way aimlessly through the halls for awhile in a much more comfortable silence than they had shared while eating. "So..." Fael started. "What did happen between you and Kairn, exactly?"  
  
Harry winced, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. When he gave no reply Faellen stopped, crossing her arms. "Well? I'm waiting!"  
  
He cowered all the more but gave in, muttering under his breath so she had to strain to hear. "See, uh... Him and your friend-the one with the silvery hair-" "Taseia," Faellen said nodding in encouragement. "They were coming across the lawn and a... A friend of mine and Ta-" he faltered and Faellen repeated herself. "Yeah, Taseia. Well, Sienna-my friend-and Taseia used to be friends, I gather. But they had a falling out and now they're all put off with each other. And Sienna said something, but it wasn't really that bad," he added quickly, looking a little defensive and growing more confident. "Taseia said something back and they went to leave. Then Kairn shouldered past her and gave her a dirty glare. I didn't think he should be involved so I... I stopped him and told him to apologize. He didn't want to and I-" He had been growing more and more loud and decisive as he'd continued, but his voice went back to sheepish. "I said something about his dad. Dumbledore told me about all of that at the start of the school year. How some kids wouldn't treat me right because of what happened to their families. But I didn't honestly think it would get to him that bad. And he hit me, and we fought and then McGonagall came and flipped out. I went to the hospital wing and he went to see Dumbledore. Probably got chewed out..."  
  
Faellen listened raptly, noting how Harry switched back and forth between proud or defensive and sheepish or embarrassed. Kairn would be disgusted, Seth would have laughed, and Tasiea would have found it interesting. But Faellen wasn't focusing on the words; she was focusing on herself. She was angry... No, judging by the flaming of her hair and the ferocity with which it lashed about in the air above her, she was fuming.  
  
"What the hell?!" She shoved Harry sharply in the chest, sending him back a few steps with a confused expression. "Do you and Sienna just wander around starting fights, you GIT! I knew something was up with Taseia, I knew it, but she wouldn't tell me! But I saw all those dirty glances Sienna kept shooting around, don't think I didn't." Her upper lip curled back. "Seth and Kairn wouldn't tell me, though I think they knew something, but thanks to you I have it all figured out." She crossed her arms sharply over her chest, fingers clenching and unclenching on the fabric of her robe at her elbows. "I don't blame Kairn. I would've beat the shit out of you too, and I hope he did!"  
  
Harry wasn't taking this sitting down. "Excuse me?! You didn't hear some of the stuff Kairn said to Sienna! I didn't want to fight and I regret some of the things I said, but I'm not going to let him go around talking to people like that. Just because he's a year older than us doesn't mean he can shove everyone around, alright!"  
  
Faellen, not easily distracted, though curious about the age thing took a menacing step forward, smoking tresses going up another foot in the air, crackling loudly. "It wasn't any of your business, Harry! That was between them, so get your nose out of it! Just because you were the accidental hero as a baby doesn't mean you have to stick up for everyone. Sienna's two years older than you, which is one year older than Kairn. I think she can take care of HERSELF! Thank you," she clipped her voice sharply, and Harry winced, rubbing his forehead.  
  
He knew when he'd been beaten, though he was still scowling darkly. Faellen wasn't done, though, she had only started her tirade. "Why is Kairn a year older than us? Why isn't he a second year?"  
  
Harry made a face and seemed as though he wasn't going to answer but Fael's hair spat out a few sparks and he gave in. "Because he stayed with his mum an extra year! Hagrid told me about it!"  
  
Faellen wanted to hit him with something hard. Why had she wasted those textbooks on Kairn? Harry had all these people slobbering all over his feet and telling him everything about everyone. He doesn't need to know, thanks! This is their private life. This was slightly hypocritical of her as she was drilling him for information, but she didn't think about that. "Why?!"  
  
Harry made another face. "Because his dad's dead and she has to work almost all day everyday! Happy!"  
  
Faellen's hair recoiled a few feet, and her face lost most of its animosity. "No..." She answered simply. Of course she wasn't happy. His dad was dead? His mom had to work all the time? Faellen didn't have parents she knew of. But she'd been to foster homes, and though they never kept her long, at least they'd been there. But she always felt luckier than some of the kids. Every night in the dormitories you could hear at least one person crying himself or herself to sleep, those quiet little sobs, muffled by covers or pillows. Every night; because they were wishing that they had their mother of their father there to tuck them in or say they loved them. But that was why they were here. Because their parents didn't do that. They were here because they're parents had been there, yes, but not enough... Faellen was almost relieved she hadn't known her parents. She couldn't miss them if there was nothing to miss...  
  
Harry's anger deflated as he saw her face fall and her hair flickered once and then settled back into a solid form. He took a hesitant step forward. Faellen only stared at the ground, diligently studying her toes. She lifted her head suddenly. "Why is Kairn's dad dead?" She lifted her brows in almost a pleading gesture, which was so out of the ordinary for Faellen Harry didn't exactly know what to say. So Kairn hadn't told anyone... He didn't blame him. Who wants that hanging over their head? In an almost desperate attempt to patch things over indirectly, Harry shook his head, shrugging. If Kairn didn't want them to know, Harry wouldn't tell them. "I don't know, Faellen..."  
  
Faellen waved a hand listlessly. "Call me Fael."  
  
Harry grinned gingerly. "Okay... Fael."  
  
Faellen gave a little laugh, shaking her head in exasperation. "You don't have to use it in every sentence," she said with a grin.  
  
Harry was only too pleased to see she was moving on quickly from their spat (he supposed she wasn't the type to dwell on things), grinning sheepishly. "Okay!"  
  
She gave another laugh and they wandered off again, talking in low voices about this and that.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: Tadaa! Finite! Bit of a shorter chapter, though, but it was full so I left it at that. Kairn, Kairn, Kairn... What are you getting yourself tangled up in, my boy? Can't wait for Mirillen to get more involved. I like her, actually, her char that is. She had a way of getting to people, making them understand. With Kairn especially, due to the connections she had with his father, which will be clarified later. 


	11. I Owe You One

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Ah! I love this chapter! I don't know why but it made me all happy writing it =3 Yay for Seth and Kairn! They were my favourites for this chapter. Just because. -glomps them both- Two uploads in one day, aren't you lucky? I'm really cracking down, no? So, same drill as always. Please read and review and I'll feel loved and keep writing this all out, hehe.  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 11 I Owe You One  
  
Taseia woke up slowly, stretching out and savoring the chill that settled over her. With a contented smile she sat up, kicking away the single sheet that covered her bed. The smile spreading all the further, she almost shrieked in delight, scrambling to the window. Snow! The world was blanketed in an ethereal damper of sparkling white, almost blinding to look at. Taseia pressed herself almost flat against the glass, wanting to wrench it open or, even better, go for a swim.  
  
A snore from a bedstead to her right made her jump and shy away from the window suddenly. Casting a hesitant glance around her and trailing her fingers down the glass, she resigned herself to the fact she could wait one more day... The thought made his shiver in excitement. One more day of classes! Just one! And then winter break. The snow had been late in coming, but it was worth the wait.  
  
Making her bed and exchanging her pajamas for her regular clothing she grabbed her hat and books and set off into the common room. No one was up, but she was used to that. She was an early riser. Besides, she didn't fancy running into Sienna, though usually she just ignored Tai, unless she was with a large grouping at which point she would make a show of jeering at her. She had Charms today, though, and Seth was joining her class too! She'd never been in a class with him. For the earlier part of the year he'd been with the Hufflepuffs for the most part. He'd made a few friends, but always seemed more than relieved to split from the crowd and make his way back to herself, Faellen and Kairn. She'd asked him about it once and he'd made sort of a confused face and said, simply enough, "Most've th'girls stare at me. Dunno why. S'cause I'm loud pro'bly..." He shrugged; though it seemed to her that he avoided her gaze. She could have been imagining things...  
  
Taseia herself was a little curious as to that. Of course, there had always been a little something 'off' about Seth, but it was a quirky, almost endearing quality. And she liked him for it... Whatever those others thought, she couldn't care less.  
  
Slowly, the common room began to come to life around her. Saying a few hellos to those that weren't so closely tied to Sienna to ignore her altogether she made her way to the Great Hall with a few of them. "Why don't you sit with us today, Tai?" One of them asked, tilting her head to the side and giving a little smile. Taseia shrugged. "Thanks, but I'm used to sitting over there," she said as she gestured to the Slytherin table. A lot of people disliked that she sat there. The Slytherins weren't exactly chummy with any of the other houses. But it made the most sense. Faellen and Kairn were both in Slytherin, therefore, majority rules. Her and Seth sit there too. No one gave them much attention anymore. She split from the group and was halfway to her selected seat when she heard someone call her. "Sei!" She split into a grin and turned around in time to find herself crunched in Seth's arms. "Hey!"  
  
Taseia let out a squeak and with a sheepish grin Seth released her, giving a crooked grin. "Sorry," he muttered. She shook her head, inhaling. "Not a problem," she smiled despite herself. She got a few glances from the friends who were just sitting down at the RavenClaw table. There gaze flittered between Seth and Taseia noticeably and then with a visible scowl they turned around. Taseia shrugged it off.  
  
Seth gave another lopsided smile. "Charms, t'day!" He lifted his brows as though keening for appraisal at even remembering, which Taseia was more than happy to give. "Oh yeah! Flitwick said something about learning that 'Leviosa' thing today. I already know it, though... " Seth opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again and then nodded. "Right... Tha' thing." He looked away casually, obviously not remembering. Tai made a face, sitting down. "You cannot lie, you know that?" She teased.  
  
Seth made a face of his own, baring his teeth. "Yeah, I noticed. Thanks fer rubbin'it in."  
  
Tai only smiled innocently. "My pleasure." Turning around she began buttering a piece of toast, though Seth remained standing, looking at the doorway. "Fael!" He shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Hey," an answer lifted itself over the hum of the crowds. Faellen sat herself down opposite Taseia with a grin. "How go things with you two?" She quirked her brows, not even making eye contact and acting as though she couldn't care less. That was just Faellen, though, and Seth and Taseia were both used to it.  
  
"We've got Charms," Seth said again, coming up behind her to put both arms around her shoulder and give her a squeeze. Faellen shoved him off her with a disgruntled, if muffled, "Ger'off!" Both Seth and Tai could see her grin, though.  
  
"Don't even think about touching me, Seth," A cold voice from behind them piped in as Kairn passed them to sit down and gave the other lad a wide berth. Seth only gave a wicked grin, though he seated himself obediently, watching Kairn like a cat watches a mouse.  
  
The banter was the same as usual, save for the fact Fael didn't lash out at Kairn quite so often and kept shooting him almost apologetic glances. This, more than his fear of being mauled by Seth unsettled the dark haired boy and he was relieved when the meal ended.  
  
Seth put out a hand for Taseia, helping her to her feet. "We're off t'Charms! See ye later," he said, giving a mock salute. Fael saluted right back, though it was dreadfully sarcastic and Kairn only grunted. Just as they were about to leave Seth whirled around and wrapped Kairn in a bone crushing hug, releasing him only upon hearing a satisfy crackle. Kairn gave a wheeze and sagged as Seth let go with a devilish smile, lifting a hand as if to hit him, but Seth was already gone and he could hear him laughing in the hallway.  
  
Fael gave a laugh of her own, but walked with him down the hallway none-the- less... "Kairn?" She started and he gave her a bland glance, if slightly inquisitive. He gave a grunt to signify 'what?' and she bit her lip. "Why did your Da-..." She trailed off as sort of a wall projected itself over his expressions and he went stony under her gaze. "Why did your potion work out last class and mine didn't?" She ducked her head meekly, changing subjects quickly, though she really couldn't care less. "Snape said he might have to lecture me next time."  
  
Kairn seemed relieved that she didn't delve any further and shrugged. "You forgot to strain the Buber puss I think." Faellen nodded agreeably and they walked in silence the rest of the way to class.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Tasiea said again, flicking her wrist and her wand upwards and sending the feather towards the ceiling. A delighted Professor Flitwick clapped eagerly. "Excellent! Excellent! I can see someone has been practicing," he beamed. "Five points for RavenClaw," he squeaked and Taseia only blushed and continued practicing.  
  
The class had been fun with Seth there. She'd been trying to help him but it seemed to her that he was more amused trying to mutter gibberish and see if it was a spell than actually get the Wingardium Leviosa one down pat. As of now, Flitwick was going through the class, seeing everyone's progress and assessing what they had to work on to have it perfect for next class. She could hear Seth a row back. "Flubbernum!" He shouted under his breath and she heard an odd squelching sound and an 'oops' from Seth. She turned around to look and saw that, yes, he had discovered some spell or another. But, seeing as how he wasn't experienced enough to work it correctly, it had turned his feather into a feather shaped piece of sludge that gave off a less than appetizing odor. Seth's face screwed up and he sent Taseia a sheepish and pleading look. She could only shrug and give a helpless frown of sympathy. Seth's dark optics shot to Flitwick, a few students over and back to his sludge feather which he nudged curiously with his wand and gagged as it rippled. A sudden spark lit his gaze and with a wink to Sei and a wicked grin he shoved the thing off his desk, kicking it with a foot under another student's. Turning casually to the boy beside him he started bantering in a low voice. The other kid smiled and nodded and laughed at appropriate times. Seth adopted a serious expression and she could see him making some gesture or another with his wand and shrug confusedly. The other kid smiled and nodded just as Flitwick drew up beside Seth. Seth nodded to the other boy and turned to the professor. She saw their mouths move and Seth raised his wand and a feather found it's way upwards. Flitwick clapped and gave a few pointers with his wand about the movement of Seth's own and wandered off.  
  
Taseia blinked, glancing to the nasty looking feather under a desk and then to Seth. With a quick look around she scrambled over. "How'd you do that?"  
  
Seth was cracking up, keeled over his desk with his hands around his middle, eyes sharp with tears of mirth. "I didn'! Tha's jus' it, Tai! I didn'!" He cracked up again; oblivious to the stares he was getting. Taseia scowled and shook her head. "I don't get it..."  
  
Seth choked on one of his giggles and managed to restrain himself enough to lift his head. "It was 'is!" He gestured to the boy beside him, giving him a grateful grin, though the other kid looked a little confused. "I told 'im I couldn' figger out th' right way t' say it an' asked if'e could show me. An' he did! An' that's the feather Flitwick thought was mine!" He broke up into hoots of laughter again, nearly collapsing on the floor. Taseia found herself laughing as well. She wondered why he didn't do well in school. For all his low marks and barely adequate practical skills he was very clever. He had a sharp mind and good instincts and knew how to handle people and himself. And yet... Every other test was emblazoned with a "D"... Sure he pulled off mostly passing marks, and he wasn't bothered in the least by the fails he did receive, but Taseia knew he could do better. He just needed practice! Seth was too exuberant for her to bring up tutoring as of now. One more class now and another after lunch and they were free for Winter Break! Why bother him with school in a time that's supposed to be freedom from just that?  
  
They set off down the hall together and he gave her another bone crushing hug before he set off for his next class with the Slytherins and she went off for her own.  
  
* * *  
  
All four of them were more than happy for the freedom winter brought. Fael steadfastly refused to go skating ever again when Seth brought it up. In other words, Seth had her out there the next day, teaching her again. In the end she found she really liked it, so long as she wasn't out there alone. Though no one ever said anything about it, they did note she shied away from the center if possible. And no one really means 'no one except Kairn' who wheedled at her often about it. He had a hefty bruise on his right shoulder that was proof of one particularly accurate rock thrown in a rage. He wore it rather proudly though, and for now, he almost forgot about his deal with Mirillen. Despite himself, he was sort of relieved...  
  
The days came and went in a steady succession and they really did enjoy themselves. Christmas morning came sooner than they expected and Taseia did receive some food from her mother, along with new winter robes and a rather beautifully crafted anklet made of a clear, cold metal that had colors rippling subtly through it when she moved. It made her think of a rivulet of water, frozen in place but still flowing. Tiny bells hung from six places equally spaced around it and you could barely hear them when she walked. Even in the snow she went barefoot when she could. Faellen was surprised to find any presents at all, besides those from her three friends. But it seemed a few other kids from the orphanage had not forgotten her and she received a surprisingly well crafted scarf among her items from an old foster mother. It looked as though she had made it herself, and seeing as how she had been a squib, Fael knew she made it by hand and that... Well, it meant a lot to her. It was all in red and black and orange... Seth received a lot of little, hand-made things from his seven siblings. Mostly useless and childishly done but he put them proudly on his windowsill, though he would probably never need two clay ashtrays (he didn't smoke and wasn't exactly planning to), a decorative tie, three finger painted coffee mugs or a clay dog statue. He grinned excitedly at each one, though, murmuring little things to the other kids (they had all banded together in the hospital wing in the morning with their gifts to unwrap them) about each one of his younger family members. His mother had sent him a new dress robe (his old one was surely on its last legs) and he had folded it up carefully and put it in his trunk, knowing how much they cost and how little the family had to spare. Despite the meager haul of his own he seemed very pleased with himself and even more so when Taseia offered to follow through with her earlier offer and gave him some of her mother's home cooked goods. Kairn had the most curious presents though. His mother had obviously saved up and had gotten him multiple books, which was expected as she worked in Flourish and Blotts. But there were little pastries and a leather wand case he knew she had stitched herself. It was the last one, at the bottom of the pile that caught and held his attention. He turned his back to the group as he held up the tall, thin package, unwrapping it slowly. A card tumbled out of the simply adorned wooden case, well polished and still gleaming despite its obvious age. It read:  
  
'Dear Kairn,  
  
I, or I should say 'we', found this awhile ago when we were tying up some loose ends regarding the task at hand. At first, we thought we might give it to your mother, but I thought that you should have it. I think you'll understand when you see it... I hope that it brings up as fond memories of him for you as they did for me...  
  
Professor N. Mirillen'  
  
Kairn found a lump clogging his throat as he opened the box with shaking hands. A wand lay on the crushed red velvet inside, which he lifted gently. It was lightweight and longer than most wands, thin red bands around the top and bottom. An engraving on the inside of the case read 'Mahogany Wood, 16 ½ inches, Two Phoenix Feathers.' And there, scrawled carefully at the very bottom or the wand, pressed into the wood was 'PS'. Pyre Sairet... Kairn knew he was shaking, knew a smile was so dominating his features he was grinning like an idiot, knew that if he didn't stop himself he was going to break out in laughter or tears or both. Gingerly putting the wand back, he placed the note on top of it and covered it up, placing it with his other gifts and turning back to the group who were all watching him curiously. He couldn't, for the life of him wipe the grin off his face.  
  
Seth blinked curiously, tilting his head to the side and whispering gruffly. "What is it?"  
  
Kairn gave a short, hysterical chuckle. "His wand." His smile widened and Taseia balked in confusion. "It's my Dad's wand." He picked up the box, opening it again and gazing at it in muted awe. Fael made a little sound, the only one there who had any clue what this might mean to him. Taseia picked up on it quickly, and Seth seemed to as well. Kairn lifted it up curiously and found it warmed to his touch. Flicking it carefully at a random object he said 'Accio pillow'. The wand made a sharp click like a lock sealing in place and he frowned, repeating himself. "Accio scarf!" He pointed it at Fael's scarf but it only repeated the sound.  
  
He looked rather hurt and lowered his hand, staring at it in confusion. Taseia piped up suddenly. "It's got a lock, Kairn." He looked up in befuddlement. "A lock?"  
  
She nodded, reaching out hesitantly and he gave it to her after a moment's deliberation. "Yeah... A simple one, though, by the look of it." She held the wand in the palms of both hands, murmuring a few words under her breath, which only received more of the dark snapping sounds. Frowning, Taseia paused a moment, thinking then smiled slowly. "Dissealium," she said to it and a new, lighter, softer click resounded outwards. With a triumphant smile she handed it back to Kairn, chest out. Fael clapped out loud then appeared to think better of it as she blushed and began carefully inspecting the bracelet from Taseia. Seth grinned brightly; watching the entire thing was curiosity and sending an appraising and impressed glance to Sei.  
  
Kairn took the wand gently, beaming his gratitude to the silver haired witch who was so pleased at having evoked so much as an emotion from him, not mentioning one so great as this that she blushed. He pointed it at another pile of presents and said "Accio ribbon." It flew obediently into his hands he had a sudden feeling he was going to burst at the swelling of pride and emotion in him. It almost felt as though the wooden thing was blazing in his hands, a pleasant tingling sensation that made him feel so... So full. He looked up at Taseia, still choking over all the different feelings vying for attention in him. "Thanks, Tai," he said. "I owe you one for this... Thanks." Taseia blushed deeper under the gentle silver sheen of her skin. "Anytime..."  
  
Seth shifted his weight awkwardly as a deep, lulling silence fell. "Skatin' anyone?" He inquired, met with three enthusiastic (which was unusual for one member in particular) shouts of agreement.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: Heh ^^ At the risk of being repetitive I'll say it again. I loved this chapter! Writing it was nice and I feel like hugging Taseia for some reason. Just 'cause she's being all helpful. Joyous little children XD 


	12. Falling Apart

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Long, long chapter. Eh, it's so sad at the end! Poor Kairn! I've been on a writing storm lately and can't seem to make myself stop. -hugs all the chars- God! Why must I be so attatched to you all? If I keep up this pace I might be done the whole book within the next month or so o_O -hugs Kairn again- You'll understand after reading the chapter...  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 12 * Falling Apart  
  
She found him up on the 4th floor, seated in a circular window ledge, playing the wand through his fingers. She'd been expecting that at least...  
  
"Hey," she murmured, sitting down on the floor and watching the snow fall behind him. Kairn lifted his gave with the blandest of curiosity. "Hey." He replied with far less enthusiasm. "Can I help you with something?" He pressed further in that same distant, almost cold tone that she was used to by now.  
  
Taseia only shrugged, holding out a hand for the wand, which he only gave to her after a moment's hesitation, scowling as it left his fingers. She looked it over curiously. "Have you been using it?" He looked up for a moment, swinging it lazily in the air. He shook his head. "No... I sort of want to-" He paused, searching for the right words. "I want to save it. I don't want it worn out."  
  
He held out his hand and she noticed for the first time how pale it was. She handed it back and he pulled it up to himself, just holding it. "Kairn?"  
  
He looked at her, noting how she had her face screwed up almost fearfully. "What, Tai?" She bit her lip, casting her gaze to the ground. "Never mind." Kairn gave a little snort and swiveled around to let his legs dangle from the ledge. "I hate when people do that. If you wanted to ask something, ask something!"  
  
Taseia furrowed her brows, playing with a strand of her hair. "You said you owe me one."  
  
Kairn nodded, obviously not understanding how this related to her acting like he was going to boot her in the face any second. "Yeah. So?"  
  
She looked up, cringing. "Can I ask you a question? It'll count as your favour... To me."  
  
Kairn immediately understood and turned back around, pulling his legs up to rest on the curved sides of the window well. Shit, why had he promised? He should have known she'd ask about this. Damned nosy RavenClaws. He should have seen it coming. "You promised, Kairn," she reminded him with a low tone that did in fact make him want to boot her in the head. Seems she'd been right in her assumptions. He managed to restrain himself though and gave a grudging snort of agreement, however bitter. "Fine. Ask away," he muttered...  
  
Taseia's lips twitched upwards in a smile, then she appeared to think better of it and returned her gaze to her feet as she asked. "What happened, Kairn? What happened to him...?"  
  
Kairn replied quickly and randomly, his words flowing together in a breathless stream. "I don't know. I think Seth has always been a bit messed up in the head. I don't know why he doesn't cut his hair, either. Maybe you should ask him. I do know he sleeps in way too late and that he's not the best in potions class. He made his explode and nearly decapitated Snape. He's lucky he isn't in a house or all his points would be gone by now. He did get detention though-" "Kairn!" Taseia cut him off sharply and he winced inwardly at the tone. He hadn't heard her speak like that before.  
  
"That's not what I meant. And you know it," She softened her voice, standing up. "If you're going to be a git about it, forget I said anything!" She made a face and turned to walk away. Kairn didn't stop her... He wanted to though, but for some reason he was having a problem figuring out why.  
  
"You should treat them better," he said aloud to himself, playing with the wand. He knew he should. But he didn't... He made fun of Fael, he treated Seth like a dog (though in all fairness, sometimes Seth did remind him of one) and he was always shutting Taseia down before she could even start. And he liked Fael. She was fun! She was the only one who could keep up with him in his sourest of moods. And Seth kept him sane. He was the only one with actual people skills and if he didn't use them every so often he and Fael would probably have ripped each other apart by now. And Taseia... She was the only one who even made an effort to listen, to talk. They all talked, of course. But he meant seriously.  
  
Kairn keeps things bottled up. It makes the most sense. If you talk about things you have to think about them and when you think about them they hurt. So don't hurt. Which means don't think. Which directly associates with don't talk. Tadaa! Sounds simple, doesn't it? So how come even though he didn't want to talk to Taseia about it, he did? She'd asked... He owed her... It was fair and it made sense and it shouldn't matter so much but it did. He almost wanted to tell her... And for some reason that made him angry.  
  
Why the hell did she want to know?! Did she think it was funny, amusing, a good story to tell the folks when she got back home? He kicked out sharply against the stone wall which made his foot hurt on top of everything else. Screw her! Screw her and Fael and Seth too!  
  
"Yeah, screw 'em!" He said aloud and heard it echo through the empty hallway. And suddenly he felt very, very alone... "Screw 'em all," he said again, quieter, and heard the baleful resounding once more. No one here to hear, was there? He looked down at his hands, at his father's wand. A wand wasn't company! But it was his father's...  
  
He should go apologize to Taseia. Yeah... Yeah, that'd fix things, he decided. Just say sorry and then come back. Sorry would fix everything...  
  
* * *  
  
It wasn't until forty-five minutes later he realized the largest gap in his logic. He couldn't find her. And he had no idea where the RavenClaw common room was. And if he found it he wouldn't know the password. And if by random chance he guessed right he'd be thrown out by many disgruntled RavenClaws not so pleased with the idea of a Slytherin being partial to the knowledge of their private dorm location.  
  
He wandered the halls aimlessly when a familiar badge caught his eye on the chest of an older girl. "Hey!" He called out, running after her a few steps. The blonde pivoted on heel, looking Kairn up and down. "Yeah?" She asked and he caught an accent he couldn't place but ignored it. "Could you," he only now realized how odd a request he was making, but followed through anyway. "Could you go to your common room, find a girl names Taseia, she's a first year and tell her Kairn wants to talk to her."  
  
The blonde laughed out loud and looked at Kairn like he was positively moronic. "I know who she is. But, no. I'm going to go see someone." With an infuriatingly snide grin she turned on heel and began to walk away.  
  
"Hey!" Kairn shouted, grabbing her by the wrist. "It'll only take two minutes! Just tell her to come out!"  
  
The blonde pulled herself free, giving another sly grin. "No."  
  
"Yes!" He said back, brow furrowing.  
  
"No!" She said back, squaring her shoulders and putting her hands on her hips.  
  
"Yes!" Kairn said back, oblivious to the fact they sounded like a pair of five-year-olds. He gave her a sharp shove.  
  
"Hey!" She squawked as she stumbled back a step. "You can't go around pushing people. And I'm not getting Taseia for you. We don't think she should hang out with kids like you."  
  
Kairn blinked. "Who thinks that?" The blonde looked a little awkward now. "We all do." But it sounded to Kairn like 'we' was one person in particular. He gave a low snarl. "So I take it you and Sienna are pretty close?"  
  
The blonde shifted her weight, not expecting that, and then nodded grudgingly. "So?"  
  
Kairn gave a groan and leaned back against the wall, which made the blonde seem even more unsure. It seemed she was more comfortable shouting with him than seeing him defeated. "What'd she tell you?" The girl bit her lip, glancing back over her shoulder and taking a step as though to leave. Kairn shot her a glare and this seemed to make her reconsider and she shrugged. "She says that you told Taseia lies about us and she told Sienna she didn't want to be friends anymore." It was simply put something for which Kairn was grateful.  
  
He grunted and shook his head. "I'm not going to bother explaining everything. But it's the other way around except for the fact Taseia didn't take any of it because she's actually got a head on her shoulders and decided she would choose her friends on her own. Now can you get Taseia for me? Please."  
  
That last totally caught the girl off guard and she nodded, dumbly, scurrying off down the hall. Kairn didn't have to wait long. Taseia was actually beaming when she jogged up the hall towards him. "What'd you say to her? Aida hasn't even said a word to me since me and Sienna had our falling out!"  
  
Kairn wondered briefly whether he ought to forget about the apology. Taseia had obviously already forgotten and was happy about other things, so why mess with it? His conscience pulled at him though and he just shook his head with a shrug. "Just asked her to get you for me."  
  
Taseia gave an answering shrug, falling into step with him as he began walking aimlessly. "What was it you wanted?" She looked up, arching her brows beneath the pointed black hat.  
  
"To say sorry. So, uh, sorry..." He kept his gaze glued on his feet and spoke in a voice that didn't suggest he was altogether pleased to be saying it, though inwardly felt a lot lighter after spitting it out.  
  
Taseia shook her head jostling him with her elbow. "It's okay." She grinned again and turned them both through a doorway towards the grounds where they crunched their way through the snow. "Are you going to tell me now?"  
  
Kairn stumbled a step, caught off guard. "What?" He spluttered. He'd been under the impression she would let it drop. Taseia met his gaze and there was a firm determination there he hadn't noticed before. "Are you going to tell me now? It's what you owe me, Kairn. That's what I want to know."  
  
Kairn kicked a clump of snow viciously. "No! That's not fair! I said I owed you like... A favour! Giving you notes in class or giving you my dessert one night, not-" He gave a little growl. "Not an interrogation!"  
  
Taseia just set her jaw and kept walking. "I want to know Kairn and I think you should tell somebody. You keep it all locked up inside when it's obvious to everyone who takes the time to look it's eating at you! And ever since you got that wand you find all these little places to sit there and be alone with it! It's like an obsession and it's not healthy! I get that it hurts you Kairn, but I'm not going to be able to help you 'til you let me!"  
  
Kairn rounded on her. "Who says I want help?! I'm helping myself! Things are fine! I'm fine! It's you that's messed up! Get a life and stop trying to throw yourself into mine!"  
  
The insults just bounced off of her and she only blinked. "You need help, Kairn. You might not want it, but you need it."  
  
Kairn scowled. "What do you want me to say? Do you want me to pour it all out so you can sit there and nod and feel sorry for me? I don't want you to feel sorry for me! I feel sorry enough for myself!" He lashed out with his boot at another pile of snow, sending the flakes up in a white cloud.  
  
Make her stop, make her stop, make her stop! His head kept reciting the mantra over and over. She was making him think! She skipped the talking step! That's not fair! But it was too late, everything was just flooding him again and he hated it! "Kairn?" Taseia drew up a step and put a hand on his shoulder, looking concerned and he wanted to punch her for it, just like he punched Potter. He lashed out at her arm, pushing it off.  
  
"Don't give me that! You don't care! You're just nosy! You couldn't care less! No one does! No one gets it!" He felt like ripping out his hair, or her hair, or just exploding into oblivion. "It wasn't his fault!" He screamed and would later be thankful they were so far away from the school because his eyes were stinging and he had a horrible feeling he was crying. Taseia looked absolutely terrified beside him. "We needed the money!" He screamed furiously. Maybe if he just explained, then everyone would understand and they'd realize his father was never evil like the others! Never! He was innocent! Kairn was falling apart at the seams, everything pounding in his head and making his chest tighten up and his optics burn.  
  
"But no one would hire him and he didn't know back then what was going on! No one knew! So he joined him! He joined for me!" He was kicking snow wildly now, taking running steps and sending it flying into the air in bursts, coating him in the powdery flecks. "And he never even did anything! And then that Potter kid was born and You-Know-Who got snuffed and we could have been happy! We could have been fine! But NO! They had to go around and pick off every single one didn't they! Even the death eaters who didn't want to be one! Even the ones that were trying to get out of it! And they killed him, Tai!" He rounded on her again, taking on her shoulders in each hand and shaking her violently. "They killed him! They blew him to bits!" He was sobbing now, making a hysteric 'poof' gesture with his arms in the air. "Just blew him up! Never gave him time to explain! They just killed him." He sunk to his knees in the snow, head in his hands, sobbing openly and too messed up to care, blinded by the tears in his eyes. "He was a good man! He didn't deserve it," he choked out. "My mom didn't deserve to hear about it from two stiff prats in business robes who said it like it was a good thing! She didn't deserve to have to take three jobs and bring me up alone! And I didn't deserve it, either! I miss him," he let out in a strangled wail. "I miss him!"  
  
He lifted his head, looking half mad with his hair, usually so immaculately smoothed splayed in every direction and tears streaking his face, eyes still bright and robes coated in snow. "But things are going to be better! She knew him and she says that we can fix things," he said with an equally torn grimace that might have been meant as a smile. He was rambling now, and Taseia was having a hard time taking this all in. "She says that if we can just get Potter fixed up, because he isn't right, Tai, he isn't right," it sounded absurd coming from someone who didn't look quite 'right' themselves. "Then things'll be alright. I want things to be alright," he trailed off, choking on another sob. "I want things alright..."  
  
Taseia seemed to come out her daze and she let herself slide to the ground, arms around Kairn's shoulders, who was rocking back and forth spewing gibberish in between body wracking sobs. He buried his face in her robes, clinging her to desperately, for once acting like the child he was, even younger... Acting like the seven-year-old he was when his life collapsed on itself.  
  
Taseia couldn't speak for a moment, finding she had a catch in her throat and her own eyes were prickling horribly. Somehow this isn't how she'd pictured things. She'd seen them talking it out and Kairn relieved and her understanding. And he'd thank her and feel better letting someone know. And she'd help him through it like a friend. She hadn't known... A death eater? But... But that meant that... She blinked fast, trying not to let herself cry as well. She'd never even thought of that! Not once! No wonder it ate at him... And look at what she'd done! And now that it was all over with she didn't know what to do, she wanted to take it all back, or just hand him his father and make him stop crying. She'd never seen him cry. Hell, she couldn't even imagine him crying until now. It made her feel guilty and scared.  
  
She shook her head, rocking with him, stroking his disheveled hair, the world a kaleidoscope of colours as her eyes watered. "They will be, Kairn," she managed in a strangled voice that she tried to make reassuring. She was crying herself now, placing her head on his back. "Things will be alright..." She repeated this over and over to him as he sobbed beside her, soaked in tears and snow, body heaving as he cried...  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: God... Writing the end of this chapter made me cry because I can see Kairn in my head and the two of them rocking on the ground. I can even hear their voices in my head... Ugh, stop crying, Mystix! 


	13. Nimue

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own a fair amount of the background characters. Some of the characters (Taseia, Faellen, Kairn, and Seth in particular) I am the creator and owner of. So hands off please. The rest are copyright to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: Things are FINALLY getting going! YAY! I thought I'd tell you now though that I don't think I'll elaborate much on why Tai has the water/cold thing, Fael's hair flames or why Seth has his little quirk during this book. It's just so full of Kairn's little thing. I'm writing another one after this though (already got some of the plot in my head) in which I think I'll focus more on them too. Kairn just ended up the main focus for this book. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea, that's just how it turned out. Explanations for a lot of other things are on the way, though.  
  
Mystixnight  
  
Chapter 13 * Nimue  
  
"You're sure," the silky voice inquired, sickeningly smooth.  
  
"Yes," she replied firmly.  
  
"Excellent, excellent... You've done so well. Maybe I'll help you with that then," he gestured with a skeletal finger to the right side of her face. "Your reward, my dear girl."  
  
She cringed visibly and he gave a sputtering laugh, an altogether repulsive noise that made you feel like you were coated in guilt and shame from just hearing it. "Thank you," she replied, careful to keep her voice level.  
  
He gave another slow, sickly chuckles in amusement and gestured to the door. "You may leave, Nimue"  
  
She kept herself from looking as immensely relieved as she did.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kairn," Taseia started gently from where she sat in the snow, Kairn curled up beside her in a fetal position, his head on her lap. "We should get you inside... You're soaked."  
  
She hadn't dared to say a word until now. Truth be told, she had been petrified. He'd been rocking back and forth and sobbing until it made her wince to hear how hoarse his voice was. Kairn gave a non-committal sound that was probably supposed to be one of his usual grunts but came out as partial whimper.  
  
He pushed himself to a sitting position and Taseia put out a hand to help him up, but he shirked it off, albeit in a gentler fashion than before, righting himself. Tai couldn't help but be impressed by the way he brushed himself off and walked back to the school, back straight, head high. Maybe a bit stung that he didn't wait for her, but she could understand. Kairn wasn't exactly the crying type and he'd just had a complete breakdown in front of her... Still, she didn't think she could have walked so surely, kept her face so calm with the redness of her eyes, the salty tear trails still snaking their way down her guise and her robes completely soaked with melted snow. She couldn't but Kairn obviously could...  
  
With a small smile she brushed her own clothing off and ran to catch up, not bothered by the bite of the cold as it used the dampness of her attire to get to her. She could only assume Kairn was, but wouldn't have been able to tell for his stance. "Hey," she said, gently but firmly.  
  
Kairn turned to face her, visage perfectly unreadable. He stood still until she caught up with him, then kept walking. It didn't seem he knew quite where he was going, because they kept going for quite some time. A random turn here, a switch of direction there. He just kept walking... And Taseia walked with him.  
  
She didn't know how long it was before they finally stopped, but she was pretty sure they'd missed lunch, because her stomach wasn't quite so comfortable as usual, but somewhere around the Astrology wing Kairn shuffled to a halt. His composure crumpled for a split second, where the redness of his eyes seemed a bit watery and his shoulders hunched, head falling forward. And then with a deep breath he was Kairn again.  
  
He turned to face her almost nervously. "You aren't... You aren't going to tell Seth and Fael, are you?"  
  
Taseia shook her head quickly. "No. I'm not going to tell anyone. And I wanted to say s-"  
  
"I wasn't finished yet," Kairn cut in sharply in an oh-so familiar cold tone. She opened her mouth to retort hotly, upset he was slipping so quickly back into that apathetic version of himself. She caught the half smile that pulled at his lips, almost humorous, and it sort of muted his vocals to the point she could gather he hadn't meant it as darkly as it had come out. "I wanted to say thank you. For listening..." He gave another smile.  
  
You could have knocked Taseia over with a feather at that. Kairn didn't smile... And if he did it was a sarcastic, bitter, wry or mocking smile. But this was just... A smile. 'He should smile more often,' she thought to herself. "What was it you wanted to say, then?" He asked in that same crisp, formal voice, but with the grin still dancing around his features.  
  
Taseia ducked her head shamefully. "I was going to say I was sorry for bothering you so much about it. You're right, it wasn't my business and I should have just let it alone. Next time I'll just keep my nose out of things and if you say no that means no and..."  
  
She trailed off as Kairn wrinkled up his nose, another gesture she had never thought was possible in his range of facial expressions, his smile growing steadier. "Don't worry about it, Tai. I said 'thank you' remember? That means I'm... I'm glad you made me answer. It helps to have it 'out' I guess. You're a RavenClaw, remember? It's your job to know what's best for everyone." He laced a drop of sarcasm over this last, but Taseia found that when paired with that smile (she still couldn't believe he even knew how to smile) it wasn't so much laughing at her but with her...  
  
Taseia nodded, smiling devilishly. "That reminds me. You haven't done any of your homework for the Holidays yet and there's only a week left, Kairn. Shall we?"  
  
Kairn gave a melodramatic groan and shuffled after Taseia with a woe-be- gone expression.  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia had, unfortunately, not been just joking when she said they should do their homework and in the end she managed to round up two unenthusiastic Slytherins and another house-less lad (not quite so unenthusiastic) in the library. Taseia was very liberal with the amount of help she gave, only too happy to give them her papers when she finished so long as when she read them over, nothing was just plagiarized. She was adamant they at least put it into their own words, which really was easy enough. She had to give a lot of encouragement to Seth to stay on task, as he was just as interested in seeing how far back he could lean in his chair without letting it tip. He actually managed to stand it on its back legs only, carefully poised on top, arms out at his sides, looking rather pleased. That is, until, Faellen 'accidentally' nudged the chair with her foot and Seth was sent sprawling over the cobble stone flooring.  
  
He opened his mouth to say some curse or another (which he did rather often for someone their age, seeing as how when he wanted he could turn on the accent so thick you couldn't have understood anyway), but the librarian glared daggers at him and he sat back down. Even then, still grinning and kicked Fael under the table in a fashion that suggested they were sharing a joke rather than he was exacting revenge.  
  
He did eventually get down to work, though obviously not enjoying himself. He was almost finished, in fact, when none other than Professor Mirillen showed up behind their table, looking inquisitively over their books.  
  
"Hello," she'd said, at which point Seth had let out a yelp of surprise and promptly spilled ink all over the bottom of what was supposed to be a paper for charms. It didn't stain all the way up to the writing though and Fael heard him mutter 'still good,' before he turned around like the rest of them to look up at the auburn haired woman.  
  
"Seth, the headmaster wishes to speak with you. I believe it has something to do with your sorting, actually."  
  
It was hard to say whether Seth looked more excited or unsure. He was just getting so used to his place in the hospital wing, and it was sort of the unofficial meeting place for their little group. "Eh... A'right," he muttered, standing up awkwardly and running a hand through his disheveled hair, scratching behind his ear before he let it drop.  
  
Mirillen gave another bright smile and as she walked away she Kairn a different sort of grin, lifting her brows and nodding. "It's nice to see you, Kairn."  
  
Both Fael and Taseia rounded on a very uncomfortable looking Kairn with accusing and inquisitive glances as Mirillen turned on heel and left the room, a nervous looking Seth trailing behind her.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ah, Mr. O'Flaherty. Pleasure to see you again," Dumbledore said cheerily as Mirillen gave Seth a gentle push through the door.  
  
"Thank you, that will be all." Dumbledore gave her a wave and she returned it with one of her own, giving Seth a bolstering wink at which point she slipped off down he spiral staircase and out of Dumbledore's office.  
  
"'Lo," Seth replied, shifting his weight from one foot to another and lifting his hand to his ear again.  
  
"Please take a seat," the aged old wizard gestured to an empty chair and sat down in his own. "Firstly I would like to apologize for not getting around to this sooner, but we have had a very busy year. So, I do hope you'll forgive us for the wait." He smiled expectantly and Seth nodded. "S'nay a problem," he shrugged.  
  
Dumbledore leaned forward, steepling his fingers and looked pleased. "It's a shame you came so late in the year, but I suppose that some things can't be fixed. And we all have our little quirks, now don't we?" Seth could only nod again. Dumbledore returned it with one of his own and stood up, retrieving from a shelf full of oddities a tattered old hat.  
  
Seth looked at it curiously, leaning forward a little. Dumbledore brushed it off with a hand. "This is our sorting hat. I'm afraid you won't be hearing his speech. He's a bit put off about being woken up during the year." Seth blinked, getting the sudden impression the hat gave a twitched against Dumbledore's hands, but shook it off. Hats don't twitch...  
  
Dumbledore stepped forward, still smiling pleasantly. "This will just take a moment. Just sit the hat on your head and let it decide."  
  
Sounded simple enough. Seth looked up as the old thing was set upon his dial. For a minute he was sort of unsure, feeling and hearing nothing and then with a start he felt sort of a shudder on his cranium. "Wake me up in the middle of the year, do they? Let's make this quick, shall we lad?"  
  
Seth blinked, totally dumbstruck and could only sit there and let the hat probe into his head, an excessively odd sensation. And then it stopped. He looked to Dumbledore for reassurance, but the old man seemed a bit puzzled himself.  
  
The hat kicked back into life slowly, and Seth could hear strange mutterings in his ears that made the hair on the back of his neck bristle. "I'm stumped," The hat finally said. "What in the name of Godrick Gryffindor is the matter with you, boy?" Seth balked, feeling rather like he'd just been slapped in the face by one of Taseia's heavy workbooks.  
  
Dumbledore hastened forward a step, putting a hand on Seth's shoulder and murmuring something to the hat, he couldn't hear. But he heard the reply. "I don't know," the hat said in its gravelly voice. "It's different than everyone else's. It all overlaps until it's hard to tell where one ends and the other starts. And then you take in that I don't think he wants a house anyway and so I can't take a preference from him."  
  
Seth made an almost whimpering sound low in his throat, hands clutching tightly to the wooden armrests of his chair. "It's too messed up in here, Dumbledore." If hats could shrug it would've right then.  
  
Dumbledore frowned, obviously not pleased. "Come now, surely there is something you can do. We've sorted children like," he cast a delicate looked to Seth, "this before. If we can sort them, we can sort him."  
  
The hat just gave another coarse grumble. "He's not like the others. He's not whole, he's not even half. I don't know what he is..."  
  
Dumbledore lifted the hat gingerly off of Seth's head, giving it another frustrated look before placing it gently back in its former position. Seth watched it for a moment, dark brown optics wide in disconcertion. He turned his wide-eyed gaze on Dumbledore. "Wha' does tha' mean, Professor?" There was a sort of keening plea in that question, for him to say something that would make that whole confusing ordeal make sense. And he felt... He felt wrong. He felt horribly and shamefully wrong due to the way the hat had described him. He hadn't thought... He hadn't thought that he was that messed up. He hadn't imagined he could be so incredibly absurd...  
  
Dumbledore smiled complacently, probably trying to be comforting. "Don't worry about it for now, Seth. Go back to where you were and forget about it. It's just a misunderstanding. We'll try again later, alright?"  
  
Seth nodded, but was desperate never to have to go through that again. Ever...  
  
* * *  
  
Taseia and Fael were both dually distracted with Seth when Kairn left to go to the Boy's Toilets. He'd come back from the little interview looking for all the world like someone had just told that Santa Clause had been beaten to death by his own elves. He had been kind enough not to say anything to make fun of him, even going so far as to mutter something along the lines of 'you okay?' Truthfully he'd been more than relieved just to slip away though. Comforting wasn't his strong suit.  
  
Besides, when nature calls... He hadn't been expecting to run into Mirillen, though. Actually, it wasn't so much a run in as a deliberately planned, momentary conference. He had been walking back from the lavatories when he'' felt a firm hand on the back of his collar which pulled him sharply back into a side corridor.  
  
He'd let out a shout before he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Quiet down, for God's sake, Kairn. It's only me." Kairn had calmed, turning around to face her. "What is it?" He asked her, brows furrowing curiously.  
  
She shook her head, casting a sidelong glance down the hallway. "Too much to say here. I'll explain it later, all right? Can you get out of your dormitory after hours, Kairn?" He'd nodded; going so far as to look mildly insulted that she might think him not capable. "Then meet my by the Quidditch pitch, around... Let's say 10:30?"  
  
Kairn nodded. "Alright, Professor." He was slightly put off by the brief, hasty instructions, left feeling a bit confused by it all.  
  
Mirillen had nodded firmly and just as quickly as she'd come turned to leave. Just before she was out of sight she stopped, swiveling on heel and giving a cheery grin. "Call me Nimue." And then she was gone... Leaving Kairn thoroughly befuddled. He'd made his way back to the library in a rather dazed sort of state. Thankfully, Fael and Tai were still busy enough with trying to talk to a very embarrassed Seth that they didn't notice how out of sorts he was. 


End file.
